Dr. George Tiller, a Kansas doctor whose clinic received national attention for performing late-term abortions, was shot to death as he entered his Wichita church on Sunday.
"Members of the congregation who were inside the sanctuary at the time of the shooting were being kept inside the church by police," the Wichita Eagle reported, "and those arriving were being ushered into the parking lot."
Media reports said the suspected killer fled the scene in a blue Taurus. Police described him as a white male in his 50s or 60s.
Tiller was not necessarily a favorite person of the religious right, especially the folks at One News Now. The news site ran a plethora of articles about Tiller; none of which were exactly unbiased:
George Tiller, a man many pro-lifers call "Tiller the baby killer," received a standing ovation at the Feminist Majority Foundation's annual Women's Leadership Conference held recently at the NEA's headquarters in Washington, DC. During his talk, Tiller attempted to justify his work by showing the approving audience pictures of babies he had aborted who had fetal abnormalities. The Feminist Majority Foundation then announced it was launching a new campaign designed to keep Tiller's Wichita, Kansas, abortion mill open. - Tiller's appearance at NEA-hosted event draws pro-lifers' attention, March 26, 2008
Calling it a tragic injustice for all law-abiding Kansans, a pro-life activist is dismayed that a grand jury in Wichita has failed to indict infamous abortionist George Tiller on criminal charges related to performing illegal late-term abortions. - Abortionist Tiller off the hook, May 7, 2008
A Kansas jury has found notorious abortionist, George Tiller, not guilty on all counts. - Tiller found not guilty: Pro-life forces vow to continue fight, March 28, 2009
And the comments by its readers, no doubt instigated by these articles, were equally horrendous:
Tiller should should be executed for these deaths. If the babies had been live births and full-term babies, he would have the death penalty. God knows how many he actually murdered in his career
Kansas people: you are not powerless to elect better government leaders and judges!! Do your job! I know there are Christians in Kansas-speak up! If you don't, God will continue to bring His wrath upon you. Do you think it is by shear coincidence that your state is going bankrupt?
Considering the abortion industry is all about the almighty dollar! I am really suprised the funeral directors & owners are not having a fit about all the revenue they are losing buy these abortionists, just throwing these bodies away with out a proper buriel(spel?). Can you believe all the revenue being wasted? Why doesn't Obama tax the heck out of abortions to balance the budget?
Would someone please explain to me how this man was acquitted and still has a license to practice medicine??? I am absolutely mortified!! I cannot believe that anyone/any judge, would/could let this man get away with these crimes. I know this man will pay for his crimes in eternity, but I will be praying for him to pay for his crimes here on earth as well.
Tiller needs to face the death penalty.
I live in Kansas. Thank God that someone is finally able to stick it to Tiller. Kline tried his best. Now that Gov. Sebelius will be off to Washington, she won't be able to protect Tiller to get his donations. Still, I don't understand how mass murder can be deemed a misdemeanor?
You see, this is the reason why I get spooked when One News Now publishes misleading articles and columns accusing President Obama of being a socialist or helps to sponsor those awful "tea parties" designed to demonize him.
This is why the hair on the back of my neck stands up when One News Now publishes article after article falsely saying that hate crimes legislation will lead to pastors getting arrested, or scaring their readers with the lies about gays "trying to indoctrinate" children.
This rhetoric will always sooner or later lead to something. It's like a car speeding towards a cliff.
I am not suggesting that One News Now actually told readers to murder Tiller, but in all honesty, the rhetoric emanating from the site contributed to a climate that made someone think that it was perfectly acceptable to gun down a man at his church.
When you create monsters, you also create those who want to kill the perceived monsters.
The site's rhetoric needs to be toned down. And there needs to be less of a bias from its articles. One News Now no doubt sees itself as representing the Christian point of view in America but how it is Christian to get people so worked up that they advocate violence as an ethical solution?
It's definitely something to think about.
Last, but certainly not least, my prayers go out to the Tiller family. And I hope that the authorities find whomever committed this awful crime.
UPDATE - It's just as bad on Free Republic.
I have read some of the comments as well as the un-hinged ones at Free Republic. My conclusion? Never let illiterate white people have access to any computer or the internet.
ReplyDelete(BTW I am white and quite ashamed to associate myself with these folks)
It is the same mindless rhetoric that keeps people like you and I from living a peaceful, quiet life with the one we truly love.
And all because of some book that several angry men wrote many years ago to control equally mindless human beings.
I love your blog, man. Don't quit!