Sick

I am just so sick about the murder of Dr. Tiller. In church. I can't even comprehend it, except to say that terrorists are not mentally or spiritually healthy.

I am pro-choice. I am a Christian. And I have had many discussions with fellow Christians about being "pro-life" and "pro-choice," and every single time we both cite the same reasons for arriving at different conclusions. That's one of the beauties and horrors of being a Christian--God gives us brains and free will and gives us clues that we have to interpret on our own. Even His edicts are still clues. To me, "Love one another" means "Take care of women--save their lives if continuing to carry a baby would kill them, in any way." To others, "Love one another" means "Work to make sure all conceptions result in live births." Even though that's not where I arrive, I can see how they get there. I know at least some of the people I've discussed this with feel the same about my conclusion.

But here's the thing: We all have different experiences. And all our experiences are true. And those experiences can teach us so much about how to be human, how to love one another, if we let them. The concerned Christians I know understand that and work for that personally and on an institutional level.

The map is not the territory. And if you mistake the map for the territory, you are in danger of becoming a fundamentalist. It's a short step from fundamentalism to terrorism.

I wish I knew how to end this post. I'd like to make some big call asking for people to honor Dr. Tiller and his family by volunteering for birth control education and access, a cause that both pro-choice and pro-life people can unite around. But I just feel too sad about his death, and the prospect that terrorists will make it impossible to save women's lives, and that women (like my friend Cecily) will die, and little kids (like my friend Cecily's daughter) will never be born because their mothers died before they we conceived.

I wish I knew what to say.

Comments

[cagey]

I live in the Kansas City area and Tiller's son was one of my classmates at KU. The danger to Tiller was always real and I know that even his son had to be cautious with his own safety.

I cannot imagine what his family is going through right now.

Regardless of how folks feel about abortion, Tiller was within the law, it was legal. He did not deserve to be gunned down in CHURCH.

[Amy H]

I have a friend who had to go to Kansas City because her eptopic pregnancy was not discovered until after she was 20 weeks pregnant. Can you imagine? But it was 17 years ago and the equipment we have now wasn't as good then. She had to go past protesters on the way in. It was terrible for her. This baby was going to die no matter what and it was going to take her life, too, if not for Dr. Tiller.
I don't get these people. Why is the life of the mother less important than the life of an unborn child? And in this case, an unborn child who would never live to see the light of day?

I don't understand it and I know that my God does not condone it.

[Julie]

This one is striking home for me in a very personal way -- the pastor of that church is a friend, and I also have friends in the congregation. They know Dr. Tiller and his family. They were there, innocent bystanders who could also have been hurt in this awful crime.

"Abortionist" (such a loaded word to begin with) was, to the people in that community, probably Dr. Tiller's least important role. He was a husband, father, grandfather, etc.

It's so horribly tragic.

[Allison]

Amen.

Makes me want to fight for women's rights even more, even harder.

[Q]

I don't understand how a person can be "pro-life" but think it is ok to gun down a human being and at church!
I suppose they think it killing for Jesus. So it is PERFECTLY acceptable??
I am sick by this too. Thanks posting about this.

[Ally]

The damned Operation Rescue truck was cruising downtown today, but instead of mangled fetuses it sported pictures of Dr. Tiller and how his hands were covered in blood of the innocent.

Rage.

[Lisa]

I am so sickened by this horrifying act of terrorism, and most likely in the name of God. Exactly how do they think that differs from extremists who commit terrorist acts in the name of Allah? Sick, sick, sick.

My prayers are with his family, friends, coworkers, those women who may potentially come to harm as a result of this...and I pray for an end to the violence so we can work together to reduce the number of abortions rather than force one group's will on everyone else.

[Charisse]

Horrible, horrible, horrible. I haven't been able to take my eyes off the stories of what people went through. I had an abortion provider in my family for a long time--nothing on the scale of Dr. Tiller, but someone who had an OB-GYN practice and provided that help to patients of the practice when they needed it. Even in a liberal western city, and even at that quiet level, there were intimidating phone calls on a regular basis. But I remember this person just agonizing over the stories of patients they couldn't help, and thanking heaven for the local versions of Dr. Tiller who could give them a way out of indescribably horrible situations.

I've spent most of my day on rage and grief, and yes fear--even though I've probably had my last pregnancy, I feel less safe in the world with this last resort gone. And I have a daughter. I too would like to do something, and there are many useful options, I just haven't figured out what yet. Damn damn damn.

[professor mama]

See this:
There are others who create the conditions for this....
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=91826397260&h=VMyix&u=KzxJl&ref=nf

[professor mama]

Ack!
This link is better:
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/05/31/tiller/index.html

[Jo-Ann]

Cec was all I could think of when I read of his murder........then I thought of Charlie and how miserable he was before Cec...then I thought of the twins and how wanted they were....then Tori and how she needs her parents and what a light she is.......

For me this murder and the loss of her boys are too closely related.

[Brooke]

We are, as you know, Lutheran as well.

We were at our church, several states away, preparing with joy for our son's baptism when Dr. Tiller was murdered in his own church.

I just cannot understand how anyone could do that.

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[carmen]

I live in Wichita (well 11 miles out in a suburb)and I'm pro-choice. It's been so sad over the years to see how this man has been harassed and abused and how the women entering and leaving his clinic have been treated. The clinic has usually had an army of volunteers that have had to help "police" the area with walkie talkies to keep the crazies from harassing the women entering and exiting the clinic.

Honestly its always felt like a ticking time bomb in this community and I actually wasn't that surprised when I heard the poor man was killed. I don't find the fact that it happened in church worse than it happening anywhere else. Church is not any safer than anywhere else b/c the crazies don't respect those boundaries any more than they respect any others... even when they claim to be acting in the interests of god.

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