Dr. George Tiller was a physician providing abortion services in Wichita, Kansas up until yesterday when he was murdered at his church.
From 1989-1992, I helped women enter health clinics despite rows of protesters from Operation Rescue (OR) sitting in front of the doors.
I helped women over fences and through back doors. I learned to create a "toothpaste corridor" and was kicked and punched by old men and young women alike. I met some of the loveliest people in the world who awoke with me at 4 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings and staked out womens health clinics throughout the city waiting to learn which one would be "hit". I worked on Westmoreland and Figueroa, in Sherman Oaks, East L.A. and Tustin.
I learned what humiliation a woman would go through to see her doctor and what humiliation a group of people would resort to in order to prevent a woman from taking care of her health.
Dr. Tiller was a frequent target of anti-abortion violence throughout his career and yet, despite the risk to himself and his family, he continued to provide these essential health services in a place where those services were almost, if not absolutely, non-existent.
Bill O'Reilly has targeted Dr. Tiller for 4 years for providing abortion services. He deserves some of the fault in this murder. His campaign made Dr. Tiller a nationwide target warning of Dr. Tiller's "judgment day."
Randall Terry, the founder of Operation Rescue, said yesterday: "George Tiller was a mass-murderer. We grieve for him that he did not have time to properly prepare his soul to face God. I am more concerned that the Obama Administration will use Tiller's killing to intimidate pro-lifers into surrendering our most effective rhetoric and actions."
Today I made a donation to Medical Students 4 Choice, whose mission is to make reproductive health including abortion services a part of standard medical education.
To Dr. Tiller's family and friends, I wish you peace. To anyone who would deny a woman the right to make her own decisions about her health, I hope you never have to make a choice, but if you do, I hope it is your choice to make.
From 1989-1992, I helped women enter health clinics despite rows of protesters from Operation Rescue (OR) sitting in front of the doors.
I helped women over fences and through back doors. I learned to create a "toothpaste corridor" and was kicked and punched by old men and young women alike. I met some of the loveliest people in the world who awoke with me at 4 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings and staked out womens health clinics throughout the city waiting to learn which one would be "hit". I worked on Westmoreland and Figueroa, in Sherman Oaks, East L.A. and Tustin.
I learned what humiliation a woman would go through to see her doctor and what humiliation a group of people would resort to in order to prevent a woman from taking care of her health.
Dr. Tiller was a frequent target of anti-abortion violence throughout his career and yet, despite the risk to himself and his family, he continued to provide these essential health services in a place where those services were almost, if not absolutely, non-existent.
Bill O'Reilly has targeted Dr. Tiller for 4 years for providing abortion services. He deserves some of the fault in this murder. His campaign made Dr. Tiller a nationwide target warning of Dr. Tiller's "judgment day."
Randall Terry, the founder of Operation Rescue, said yesterday: "George Tiller was a mass-murderer. We grieve for him that he did not have time to properly prepare his soul to face God. I am more concerned that the Obama Administration will use Tiller's killing to intimidate pro-lifers into surrendering our most effective rhetoric and actions."
Today I made a donation to Medical Students 4 Choice, whose mission is to make reproductive health including abortion services a part of standard medical education.
To Dr. Tiller's family and friends, I wish you peace. To anyone who would deny a woman the right to make her own decisions about her health, I hope you never have to make a choice, but if you do, I hope it is your choice to make.
Labels: abortion, City of Angels, George Tiller, It's science, Politix
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6 Comments:
From the other side of the blogosphere...
http://conserveandprotect.blogspot.com/2009/05/hearts-and-minds-are-to-be-won-not.html
Many of us are just as outraged.
p.s.-I have had to make the choice before (:
p.s.s.-enjoyed reading your blog, I was actually looking for a Sarah Silverman quote and stumbled upon you.
Faith, as always, you say that things I can't find words for. You are so eloquent and intelligent. Thank you for giving words to this tragedy.
Destiny - I am happy that the choice was yours to make. No one should ever, ever get to make the choice for you or any other woman. Ever. That, in itself is the meaning of PRO-CHOICE. I'm sure you are outraged but your position is one that I can never respect.
Thanks HoneyBee!
I was on the lines there with you, only out in DC. I was very saddened to see the news this morning. Don't even get me started about Randall Terry. Ugh. Ditto what Honey Bee said - when I say it, it comes out sounding disjointed and angry; when you say it, it comes out sounding well-reasoned and erudite. Thank you.
http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/06/01/patients-remember-dr-tiller/
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