Okay, this is from a while ago on another blog but I thought it would be appreciated here:
George Tiller.
His name was George Tiller.
Yes, he performed abortions. He performed in some cases late-term abortions in instances where a mother's life was endangered by her pregnancy. How many mothers' lives were saved because of these abortions? How much good did this man do, and how much good could he have done if not brutally killed while ushering for his church?
So many people seem reluctant to call this terrorism, but that is exactly what it is. Terrorism is by definition (as Keith Olbermann pointed out on Countdown last night) an attempt to change societal behavior through acts which instill terror and fear in people.
Back in April there was a document put out that defined domestic terrorists as exactly the kind of people who would do this sort of thing. There was such an outcry from the Right that Secratary Napolitano publicly appologized. And the Right still refuses to accept this definition of domestic terrorists, if they even accept the fact of domestic terrorism at all.
I had a girlfriend recently who asserted that anyone who is pro-choice is also pro-abortion. We argued for hours on this point. I tried hard to point out that while I am pro-choice, I am morally opposed to abortion as a frivolous form of post-sex birth control. However there are cases, when a woman has been raped, when the child is life-threateningly deformed or suffers some other genetic disease, or when the pregnancy threatens the life of the mother, that abortion is an acceptable solution. I pointed out that were I to get a girl pregnant I would do anything I could to keep her from getting an abortion. No matter what I said, in her eyes, I was still pro-abortion. This is the kind of unwillingness or inability to recognize subtleties and distinction in the thought processes of others that leads to the hard-core behavior of the man who gunned down Dr. Tiller, or the people who killed numerous abortion doctors in the 90's after Clinton became President.
It is this kind of behavior that is at the root of all terrorism. The kinds of people who have something so wrong in their minds - be it an inborn trait or something drummed into their heads by parents, religious and other authority figures during their formative years - will never listen to reason, nor will violence sway them. The only thing that will affect them will be if their actions change the way we as a society act. So what are we to do about these people?
About a week or so ago Obama put forth the idea of indefinite detention for those suspected terrorists held in Guantanamo Bay. While I do detest the idea of jailing people for a crime they have yet to commit, I have to wonder what is the Obama administration to do with those Gitmo detainees who profess such an utter hatred for America that were they to be freed they would immediately find a terrorist cell and make plans to attack America again?
I know that some of the people who have been put into Gitmo were not terrorists in the first place but people on a suspect list in one form or another. I can also infer that some of those people who were not terrorists then would have a damn good reason to be terrorists now. So if you're sitting across from one of these detainees and they say with all the conviction in their heart that if you let them go they will seek out terror cells and join them, what would you do?
I'm no conservative but even I would have a hard time holding the door open for a person like that. It's a tough line to walk for anyone. It must be impossible for Barack Obama.
And through all of this it was media outlets like FOX (excuse me, FAUXNews) that stoked these flames, that put fuel on the fire of domestic terrorists, whose pandering pundits and aggressive tactics have been the real thing weakening America in the eyes of the world. And in the aftermath they refuse to accept their part in things. I whole-heartedly support Keith Olbermann's assertion that a boycott of the programming does not work. I also agree with his assertion that if you go into a restaurant, bar, or other establishment that is showing FOX "News," and you believe as I do that it is a form of cancer that is rotting this country from the inside out, you should, if not walk out, at least explain to the owners how you feel about FOX and why you will not be patronizing their establishment so long as they broadcast it there. Olbermann has a really good point here: Put pressure on the little people to stop feeding this crap into the brains of all who walk into their establishment and maybe if that form of veiwership gets cut off, so will Fox's ratings and just possibly its effectiveness.
No matter what the case we as Americans can and hopefully will do better. I know I intend to try to do better every day, and that includes treating my fellow man, no matter how despicable, irritating or annoying, no matter what his differences in opinion from mine, with a kind hand and an open heart. I hope you all do the same.
TIP:
Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!
moveovermommy
medical anthropology
Marcela in English
Scott Christian
Little Angeleno
Christin Taylor
Salon.com
Comments
I could not agree with this more.
And on the issue of abortion, it is the toughest fight we wage, convincing people that pro-choice is not pro-abortion. Pro-choice is exactly that, pro CHOICE, because we each walk our own line----in all situations---we walk the line alone.