First, I apologize for not attending the spectacularly successful rally at First Congregational Church in support of the Non-Discrimination Ordinance that my Commissioner, Steve Mulroy is trying to get passed. He, along with former Commissioner Walter Bailey, Senator Beverly Marrero and others, spoke before a crowd estimated at over 500 to rally the troops for tomorrow's vote.
I will keep saying this until you all figure this out: CIVIL RIGHTS IS CIVIL RIGHTS, PERIOD.
Now, for some angering news. In Wichita, KS this morning, as he was walking up the steps of his CHURCH for Pentecost Sunday servies, Dr. George Tiller was assassinated. Dr. Tiller was often under attack, as his clinic performed late-term abortions (LEGAL ones, he followed all laws and regulations to the letter) for women throughout the plains, as they often had no where else to go.
I am glad to hear that there is a suspect in custody; for once, I am willing to waive my opposition to capital punishment.
However, for a more potent and positive remembrance of Dr. Tiller's life, I suggest that you do as I have (H/T to Amy!) and donate to Planned Parenthood in Dr. Tiller's name. Let's put our money where our mouths are.
7 comments:
Oh, yes, but not just donate to Planned Parenthood.
There is a definite connection between late term abortions and the lack of access to abortion throughout early pregnancy. We have the right under Roe v. Wade to make a private religious determination about when life begins. But in many states, early, safe, and legal nonjudgmental counseling (without an "angle")and abortion isn't available, even in the rural areas of liberal states.
Part of the reason is that fewer and fewer doctors and clinics are willing to do the procedures because of nuts like the one(s) who murdered this doctor. This is a terrorist act as it was escalation of prior attempts on this MD's life.
There is a group called ACCESS/Women's Health Rights Coalition in Oakland, California that tries to line women up with sympathetic doctors, provide transportation, etc. When providers are few, support services are key. There should be an ACCESS/WHRC in every state, and we should give them money if we believe that this access is important. In Kansas, in Tennessee too.
A comment to Part A, about the rights ordinance. The proponents have not made clear their rebuttal to the opponents who say they are against extending "special" rights to LGBT people. I had to do a lot of searching online (because I do not have the literature)to find the part of the Shelby County Code that is being amended to broaden rights already explicitly extended to others.
I welcome correction if I am wrong.
The ordinance amendment, whatever its exact language and flaws, etc., needs to be presented as it is: not as a new law giving "special" rights, which the opponents say they are against, but as a broadening to end discrimination by adding a class of individuals.
And the folks who voted no or abstained should be heavily lobbied today to let discussion continue, let this come to a vote.
So you would spare Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot and Timothy McVeigh, but not for the murderer of this doctor? Are you willing then to claim, a la Ralph Wldo Emerson, that consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds? Perhaps you might be willing to examine the consequences of what that has come to mean?
Anon at 10:43, I'm assuming your comments are directed to LWC.
Me (poster above)--I generally disapprove of capital punishment on spiritual and intellectual grounds, but have become less and less emotionally bothered when a mass murderer pays for it with his/her own life. But I am against anyone being given the death penalty absent good scientific (not just DNA but DNA with impeccable chain of command)evidence. DNA has freed too many on death row for me to want to execute someone on the basis of even the fallible "eyewitness" who "saw" the perpetrator do it.
Er, meant "chain of custody."
Warden, may I have more coffee please?
Anonymous at 12:03: your guess as to the direction of my 10:47 comments were correct. The Cracker has made several statements over several years that capital punishment should be universally prohibited. Such an argument would exclude the monsters listed in my previous post as being beyond the reach of societal execution in the face of overwhelming evidence. I would also now add the perpetrators of genocide in Rwanda, General Pinochet in Chile, the Japanese commanders in World War II who ignored the Rape of Nanking and its women, and countless other crimes against humanity. Now the Cracker wants to make an exception for the murderer of a physician who performs late term abortions. I find that sort of exceptionalism to be skewed in its sense of importance and reflective of something I will never understand.
What about our right to CHOOSE?? I would NEVER murder an abortionist myself but will affirm the right of others to do so!
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