Pro-Life "terrorists" plotting their next act of violenceNow that George Tiller has been regrettably slain by someone ostensibly acting on behalf of the Pro-Life movement, we are seeing a very strong push in the media reports of the incident towards painting Pro-Lifers as terrorists, in keeping with the official Obama administration's position elucidated by Janet Napolitano a few weeks back.
An article in the local Kansas paper The Wichita Eagle has gone to great length to point out the connection of the alleged gunman, Scott Roeder, with violent anti-government groups. This may or may not be the case, and I don't doubt that the killer may have been part of such groups - but it is interesting to note how the Eagle presents this. Look:
The suspect in custody in connection with the slaying of abortion doctor George Tiller was a member of an anti-government group in the 1990s and a staunch opponent of abortion.
In the rear window of the 1993 blue Ford Taurus that he was driving was a red rose, a symbol often used by abortion opponents.
Roeder, who in the 1990s was a manufacturing assemblyman, also was involved in the "Freemen" movement.
"Freemen" was a term adopted by those who claimed sovereignty from government jurisdiction and operated under their own legal system, which they called common-law courts. Adherents declared themselves exempt from laws, regulations and taxes and often filed liens against judges, prosecutors and others, claiming that money was owed to them as compensation.
In April 1996, Roeder was arrested in Topeka after Shawnee County sheriff's deputies stopped him for not having a proper license plate. In his car, officers said they found ammunition, a blasting cap, a fuse cord, a one-pound can of gunpowder and two 9-volt batteries, with one connected to a switch that could have been used to trigger a bomb.
Okay, so look at the first paragraph that states categorically that Roeder was part of an anti-government group. Then what substantiating evidence are we given to back up this claim? He had a red rose in his window...okay...anything else? In the third paragraph, it is simply reasserted that he was part of an anti-government group and the group is labeled as the 'Freemen.' Then follows a paragraph of who the Freemen are - that's helpful - and then a story of how Roeder was arrested once with bomb-making materials in his car.
Well, fine, but does any of this establish that he was part of some organized group and anything other than a lone wacko? Oh wait, there was his license plate:
Roeder, who then lived in Silver Lake, was stopped because he had an improper license plate that read "Sovereign private property. Immunity declared by law. Non-commercial American." Authorities said the plate was typical of those used by Freemen.
So the plate is 'typical' of those used by the Freemen. But does that establish that he was a "member of an anti-government organization" as the introductory paragraph states? Thta's like saying that a if I have a bumper sticker that says "Keep Jobs in America" it necessarily follows that I am a UAW member, since this is a bumper sticker 'typical' Union members would have. Sure, this Roeder character may have sympathized with the Freemen or like groups, and as I said above he may very well have been a member, but this allegation is not substantiated by the evidence that the reporter of this article has given. The idea is to draw a connection, however tenuous, between Pro-Lifers and some kind of organized terrorist organization.
One more thing - where is the evidence that actually connects Roeder with the killing? Okay, so he was arrested once in 1996 with some questionable stuff. So he posted a lot on anti-abortion websites. So he said Tiller had to be "stopped." All well and good, but when it comes to Roeder's arrest, all I ever see is that he was "apprehended" in connection with the killing - what is the exact connection? This is what I want to know. As you'll read in the AP article below, nobody at the church where Tiller was killed mentions Roeder or seems to have seen him.It's just interesting the obvious stuff that these stories neglect to go in to.
The AP story on this event has also tried to draw a more general link between violence and Pro-Lifers than is warranted. Look at this paragraph:
There was no immediate word of the motive Tiller's assailant. But the doctor's violent death was the latest in a string of shootings and bombings over two decades directed against abortion clinics, doctors and staff.
Okay, the "latest" in a "string" of shootings and bombings over "two decades?" Does that sentence make any sense? It's like saying, "The attempted murder Ronald Reagan in 1981 was the latest in a string of assassination attempts going back two centuries," as if to give the impression that presidential assassinations are the norm or that there is some ongoing trend. The last abortion-related murder of a doctor or other personnel before Tiller's was eleven years ago. Eleven years is hardly a proximate chronology to state "a string of shootings and bombings."
In fact, the National Abortion Federation reports only 17 attmpted murders since 1977 - and only 7 in the past thirty-two years, or an average of one killing every four and a half years. Now, any murder is tragic and to be condemned, no matter how much the victim may have merited it. But to take something that on average happens only once every four and a half years and try to twist it to give the impression that it is a constant campaign is dishonest.
I'd better just give you the rest of this AP story with my comments and emphases:
The slaying of the 67-year-old doctor [Why mention that he's 67 years old? Is that relevant? I think they are trying to make us think of him as a defenseless old man, not as the murderer of over 20,000 children] is "an unspeakable tragedy," his widow, four children and 10 grandchildren said in statement. "This is particularly heart-wrenching because George was shot down in his house of worship, a place of peace." [So, killing a person in what should be a place of peace is 'particularly heart-wrenching' says the abortionist's wife? Hmmm...makes one think]
The family said its loss "is also a loss for the city of Wichita and women across America. George dedicated his life to providing women with high-quality health care despite frequent threats and violence." [Remember, Tiller was once charged with 11 counts of criminal misconduct including performing an abortion on a fetus that was viable without having a documented referral from another physician not legally or financially affiliated with him; unprofessional or dishonorable conduct or professional incompetency; and commitment of acts likely to deceive, defraud or harm the public." (source)]
Stolz said all indications were that the gunman acted alone, although authorities were investigating whether he had any connection to anti-abortion groups [The Wichita Eagle seems to think the Freemen were involved in someway].
Tiller's Women's Health Care Services clinic is one of just three in the nation where abortions are performed after the 21st week of pregnancy. The clinic was heavily fortified and Tiller often traveled with a bodyguard, but Stolz said there was no indication of security at the church Sunday.
Anti-abortion groups denounced the shooting and stressed that they support only nonviolent protest [As they should]. The movement's leaders fear the killing could create a backlash just as they are scrutinizing U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, whose views on abortion rights are not publicly known [The timing of this whole thing is interesting, is it not?].
"We are shocked at this morning's disturbing news that Mr. Tiller was gunned down," Troy Newman, Operation Rescue's president, said in a statement. "Operation Rescue has worked for years through peaceful, legal means, and through the proper channels to see him brought to justice. We denounce vigilantism and the cowardly act that took place this morning." [And Operation Rescue and such organizations are the mainstream of the Pro-Life movement - most Pro-Lifers are non-violent, despite what the media is trying to have us believe]
President Barack Obama said he was "shocked and outraged" by the murder. "However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence," he said.
At Tiller's church, Adam Watkins, 20, said he was sitting in the middle of the congregation when he heard a small pop at the start of the service.
"We just thought a child had come in with a balloon and it had popped, had gone up and hit the ceiling and popped," Watkins said.
Another usher came in and told the congregation to remain seated, then escorted Tiller's wife out. "When she got to the back doors, we heard her scream, and so we knew something bad had happened," Watkins said.
He said the service continued even after an associate pastor announced that Tiller had been injured. "We were just really shocked," he said. "We were kind of dumbfounded. We couldn't really believe it had happened."
Tiller had in the past endured threats and violence. A protester shot Tiller in both arms in 1993, and his clinic was bombed in 1985. More recently, Monnat said Tiller had asked federal prosecutors to step up investigations of vandalism and other threats against the clinic out of fear that the incidents were increasing and that Tiller's safety was in jeopardy. Stolz, however, said police knew of no threats connected to the shooting.
In early May, Tiller had asked the FBI to investigate vandalism at his clinic, including cut wires to surveillance cameras and damage to the roof that sent rainwater pouring into the building.
In 1991, the Summer of Mercy protests organized by Operation Rescue drew thousands of anti-abortion activists to this city for demonstrations marked by civil disobedience and mass arrests.
Tiller began providing abortion services in 1973. He acknowledged abortion was as socially divisive as slavery or prohibition but said the issue was about giving women a choice when dealing with technology that can diagnose severe fetal abnormalities before a baby is born.
Nancy Keenan, president of abortion-rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America, issued a statement praising Tiller's commitment. [Barf]
"Dr. Tiller's murder will send a chill down the spines of the brave and courageous providers and other professionals who are part of reproductive-health centers that serve women [Abortion centers "serve" women? Reminds me of the way the aliens in the Twilight Zone said they were here "to serve man"] across this country. We want them to know that they have our support as they move forward in providing these essential services [Abortion on demand is a fundamental human right, remember?] in the aftermath of the shocking news from Wichita," Keenan said.
After the 1991 protests, Tiller kept mostly to his heavily guarded clinic, although in 1997 he opened it to three tours by state lawmakers and the media. He wore a button that read "Trust Women."
The clinic is fortified with bulletproof glass, and Tiller hired a private security team to protect the facility. Once outside the clinic, Tiller was routinely accompanied by a bodyguard. [He must have been pretty wealthy to afford all this stuff - in his appearance on O'Reilly some years back it was stated that he had made millions in this vulgar trade]
At a recent trial, he told jurors that he and his family have suffered years of harassment and threats and that he knew he was a target of anti-abortion protesters.
Federal marshals protected Tiller during the 1991 Summer of Mercy protests, and he was protected again between 1994 and 1998 after another abortion provider was assassinated [The last one before Tiller to be killed, over eleven years ago] and federal authorities reported finding Tiller's name on an assassination list.
Tiller remained prominent in the news, in part because of an investigation begun by former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline, an abortion opponent. [Okay, so (a) what was the investigation about? Don't you think the reader would like to know this Why doesn't the reporter state that Tiller was charged with 11 counts of criminal violations and 19 misdemeanor violations? Well, it must not matter, because (b) since the Attorney General happened to be against abortion, nothing he says matters]
Prosecutors had alleged that Tiller had gotten second opinions from a doctor who was essentially an employee of his, not independent as state law requires. [Just a technicality - no mention that the 'opinion' had to do with the killing of a viable fetus - and no mention of the charges of 'professional incompetence' or intent to 'defraud and harm the public'] , charges a jury in March acquitted Tiller of all 19 misdemeanor counts.
"I am stunned by this lawless and violent act, which must be condemned and should be met with the full force of law," Kline said in a statement. "We join in lifting prayer that God's grace and presence rest with Dr. Tiller's family and friends." [Nice way to close - the Pro-Abortionists invoking God's grace and mercy while the terrorist Pro-Lifers are out plotting more killings]
This killing will provide all the justification Napolitano needs in her crusade to label Pro-Lifers as terrorists...
Click here for more...
An article in the local Kansas paper The Wichita Eagle has gone to great length to point out the connection of the alleged gunman, Scott Roeder, with violent anti-government groups. This may or may not be the case, and I don't doubt that the killer may have been part of such groups - but it is interesting to note how the Eagle presents this. Look:
The suspect in custody in connection with the slaying of abortion doctor George Tiller was a member of an anti-government group in the 1990s and a staunch opponent of abortion.
In the rear window of the 1993 blue Ford Taurus that he was driving was a red rose, a symbol often used by abortion opponents.
Roeder, who in the 1990s was a manufacturing assemblyman, also was involved in the "Freemen" movement.
"Freemen" was a term adopted by those who claimed sovereignty from government jurisdiction and operated under their own legal system, which they called common-law courts. Adherents declared themselves exempt from laws, regulations and taxes and often filed liens against judges, prosecutors and others, claiming that money was owed to them as compensation.
In April 1996, Roeder was arrested in Topeka after Shawnee County sheriff's deputies stopped him for not having a proper license plate. In his car, officers said they found ammunition, a blasting cap, a fuse cord, a one-pound can of gunpowder and two 9-volt batteries, with one connected to a switch that could have been used to trigger a bomb.
Okay, so look at the first paragraph that states categorically that Roeder was part of an anti-government group. Then what substantiating evidence are we given to back up this claim? He had a red rose in his window...okay...anything else? In the third paragraph, it is simply reasserted that he was part of an anti-government group and the group is labeled as the 'Freemen.' Then follows a paragraph of who the Freemen are - that's helpful - and then a story of how Roeder was arrested once with bomb-making materials in his car.
Well, fine, but does any of this establish that he was part of some organized group and anything other than a lone wacko? Oh wait, there was his license plate:
Roeder, who then lived in Silver Lake, was stopped because he had an improper license plate that read "Sovereign private property. Immunity declared by law. Non-commercial American." Authorities said the plate was typical of those used by Freemen.
So the plate is 'typical' of those used by the Freemen. But does that establish that he was a "member of an anti-government organization" as the introductory paragraph states? Thta's like saying that a if I have a bumper sticker that says "Keep Jobs in America" it necessarily follows that I am a UAW member, since this is a bumper sticker 'typical' Union members would have. Sure, this Roeder character may have sympathized with the Freemen or like groups, and as I said above he may very well have been a member, but this allegation is not substantiated by the evidence that the reporter of this article has given. The idea is to draw a connection, however tenuous, between Pro-Lifers and some kind of organized terrorist organization.
One more thing - where is the evidence that actually connects Roeder with the killing? Okay, so he was arrested once in 1996 with some questionable stuff. So he posted a lot on anti-abortion websites. So he said Tiller had to be "stopped." All well and good, but when it comes to Roeder's arrest, all I ever see is that he was "apprehended" in connection with the killing - what is the exact connection? This is what I want to know. As you'll read in the AP article below, nobody at the church where Tiller was killed mentions Roeder or seems to have seen him.It's just interesting the obvious stuff that these stories neglect to go in to.
The AP story on this event has also tried to draw a more general link between violence and Pro-Lifers than is warranted. Look at this paragraph:
There was no immediate word of the motive Tiller's assailant. But the doctor's violent death was the latest in a string of shootings and bombings over two decades directed against abortion clinics, doctors and staff.
Okay, the "latest" in a "string" of shootings and bombings over "two decades?" Does that sentence make any sense? It's like saying, "The attempted murder Ronald Reagan in 1981 was the latest in a string of assassination attempts going back two centuries," as if to give the impression that presidential assassinations are the norm or that there is some ongoing trend. The last abortion-related murder of a doctor or other personnel before Tiller's was eleven years ago. Eleven years is hardly a proximate chronology to state "a string of shootings and bombings."
In fact, the National Abortion Federation reports only 17 attmpted murders since 1977 - and only 7 in the past thirty-two years, or an average of one killing every four and a half years. Now, any murder is tragic and to be condemned, no matter how much the victim may have merited it. But to take something that on average happens only once every four and a half years and try to twist it to give the impression that it is a constant campaign is dishonest.
I'd better just give you the rest of this AP story with my comments and emphases:
The slaying of the 67-year-old doctor [Why mention that he's 67 years old? Is that relevant? I think they are trying to make us think of him as a defenseless old man, not as the murderer of over 20,000 children] is "an unspeakable tragedy," his widow, four children and 10 grandchildren said in statement. "This is particularly heart-wrenching because George was shot down in his house of worship, a place of peace." [So, killing a person in what should be a place of peace is 'particularly heart-wrenching' says the abortionist's wife? Hmmm...makes one think]
The family said its loss "is also a loss for the city of Wichita and women across America. George dedicated his life to providing women with high-quality health care despite frequent threats and violence." [Remember, Tiller was once charged with 11 counts of criminal misconduct including performing an abortion on a fetus that was viable without having a documented referral from another physician not legally or financially affiliated with him; unprofessional or dishonorable conduct or professional incompetency; and commitment of acts likely to deceive, defraud or harm the public." (source)]
Stolz said all indications were that the gunman acted alone, although authorities were investigating whether he had any connection to anti-abortion groups [The Wichita Eagle seems to think the Freemen were involved in someway].
Tiller's Women's Health Care Services clinic is one of just three in the nation where abortions are performed after the 21st week of pregnancy. The clinic was heavily fortified and Tiller often traveled with a bodyguard, but Stolz said there was no indication of security at the church Sunday.
Anti-abortion groups denounced the shooting and stressed that they support only nonviolent protest [As they should]. The movement's leaders fear the killing could create a backlash just as they are scrutinizing U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, whose views on abortion rights are not publicly known [The timing of this whole thing is interesting, is it not?].
"We are shocked at this morning's disturbing news that Mr. Tiller was gunned down," Troy Newman, Operation Rescue's president, said in a statement. "Operation Rescue has worked for years through peaceful, legal means, and through the proper channels to see him brought to justice. We denounce vigilantism and the cowardly act that took place this morning." [And Operation Rescue and such organizations are the mainstream of the Pro-Life movement - most Pro-Lifers are non-violent, despite what the media is trying to have us believe]
President Barack Obama said he was "shocked and outraged" by the murder. "However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence," he said.
At Tiller's church, Adam Watkins, 20, said he was sitting in the middle of the congregation when he heard a small pop at the start of the service.
"We just thought a child had come in with a balloon and it had popped, had gone up and hit the ceiling and popped," Watkins said.
Another usher came in and told the congregation to remain seated, then escorted Tiller's wife out. "When she got to the back doors, we heard her scream, and so we knew something bad had happened," Watkins said.
He said the service continued even after an associate pastor announced that Tiller had been injured. "We were just really shocked," he said. "We were kind of dumbfounded. We couldn't really believe it had happened."
Tiller had in the past endured threats and violence. A protester shot Tiller in both arms in 1993, and his clinic was bombed in 1985. More recently, Monnat said Tiller had asked federal prosecutors to step up investigations of vandalism and other threats against the clinic out of fear that the incidents were increasing and that Tiller's safety was in jeopardy. Stolz, however, said police knew of no threats connected to the shooting.
In early May, Tiller had asked the FBI to investigate vandalism at his clinic, including cut wires to surveillance cameras and damage to the roof that sent rainwater pouring into the building.
In 1991, the Summer of Mercy protests organized by Operation Rescue drew thousands of anti-abortion activists to this city for demonstrations marked by civil disobedience and mass arrests.
Tiller began providing abortion services in 1973. He acknowledged abortion was as socially divisive as slavery or prohibition but said the issue was about giving women a choice when dealing with technology that can diagnose severe fetal abnormalities before a baby is born.
Nancy Keenan, president of abortion-rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America, issued a statement praising Tiller's commitment. [Barf]
"Dr. Tiller's murder will send a chill down the spines of the brave and courageous providers and other professionals who are part of reproductive-health centers that serve women [Abortion centers "serve" women? Reminds me of the way the aliens in the Twilight Zone said they were here "to serve man"] across this country. We want them to know that they have our support as they move forward in providing these essential services [Abortion on demand is a fundamental human right, remember?] in the aftermath of the shocking news from Wichita," Keenan said.
After the 1991 protests, Tiller kept mostly to his heavily guarded clinic, although in 1997 he opened it to three tours by state lawmakers and the media. He wore a button that read "Trust Women."
The clinic is fortified with bulletproof glass, and Tiller hired a private security team to protect the facility. Once outside the clinic, Tiller was routinely accompanied by a bodyguard. [He must have been pretty wealthy to afford all this stuff - in his appearance on O'Reilly some years back it was stated that he had made millions in this vulgar trade]
At a recent trial, he told jurors that he and his family have suffered years of harassment and threats and that he knew he was a target of anti-abortion protesters.
Federal marshals protected Tiller during the 1991 Summer of Mercy protests, and he was protected again between 1994 and 1998 after another abortion provider was assassinated [The last one before Tiller to be killed, over eleven years ago] and federal authorities reported finding Tiller's name on an assassination list.
Tiller remained prominent in the news, in part because of an investigation begun by former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline, an abortion opponent. [Okay, so (a) what was the investigation about? Don't you think the reader would like to know this Why doesn't the reporter state that Tiller was charged with 11 counts of criminal violations and 19 misdemeanor violations? Well, it must not matter, because (b) since the Attorney General happened to be against abortion, nothing he says matters]
Prosecutors had alleged that Tiller had gotten second opinions from a doctor who was essentially an employee of his, not independent as state law requires. [Just a technicality - no mention that the 'opinion' had to do with the killing of a viable fetus - and no mention of the charges of 'professional incompetence' or intent to 'defraud and harm the public'] , charges a jury in March acquitted Tiller of all 19 misdemeanor counts.
"I am stunned by this lawless and violent act, which must be condemned and should be met with the full force of law," Kline said in a statement. "We join in lifting prayer that God's grace and presence rest with Dr. Tiller's family and friends." [Nice way to close - the Pro-Abortionists invoking God's grace and mercy while the terrorist Pro-Lifers are out plotting more killings]
This killing will provide all the justification Napolitano needs in her crusade to label Pro-Lifers as terrorists...
Click here for more...
No comments:
Post a Comment