Monday, June 1, 2009

Sad ...

I want to express how sad it is that Dr. George Tiller, a doctor at a family planning clinic who performed abortions in Kansas, was murdered at his church yesterday by anti-abortion activist Scott Roeder by gunshot.

This entry is not meant to spark discussion on abortion, whether or not it is moral, ethical, or whether or not it should be legal. My personal opinion is that it is not something I would choose as an option for an unplanned pregnancy, but I also recognize I'm speaking from the point of view of an infertile woman for whom any pregnancy would be a blessing, even if it came at a time of struggle or difficulty. I know of many situations where this would be the right choice, and to me it is between those women and their God to find the right path to follow, as once you're at that point they all have consequences.

What I do want to bring attention to, however, is the sheer hypocrisy that anyone who calls themselves 'pro-life' can take the life of another fully sentient adult human being. Murder is not 'pro-life', and even for those who see the disintegration of a handful of cells as 'murder' too, I don't believe Christ ever encouraged becoming that which we might loathe. To kill someone on a Sunday, in the sanctuary of their church to boot, shows that Scott Roeder was simply more a violent, angry, thoughtless young man with no understanding of the 'pro-life' movement.

Now having said that, let me make clear at risk of sparking debate that personally, I am someone who is pro-choice, but who understands and respects where at least some of those who are anti-abortion come from - a place of love for that potential child. I and most pro-choicers happen to believe that love is misplaced, and should be more directed to that poor rape victim/scared teenager/what have you who will have to live with whatever choice she makes. A misplaced love, however, is still better than no love at all - and anyone who can point a gun at a churchgoing man in the name of being 'pro-life', knows nothing at all of that concept.

2 comments:

Alex @ I'm the Mom said...

I agree that the Pro-Life Radicle Activists (see ... not all the activists, just the radicle ones) are true hypacrits. Killing someone for "murdering" an unborn fetus. How does that make sense? It doesn't. At least not to me.

I've been there, done that, and wear the t-shirt proudly. I made my decision based on medical reasons. My decision is my decision alone and I didn't allow anyone else to sway my decision. I'm proud of making it. I'm proud of doing the right thing for me and the best thing for me.

Because ... in the end ... if I hadn't made that decision, I wouldn't be alive today to have my two children or my husband or any of my friends.

SARcasm said...

Nod - and it's cases like yours that make me pro-choice. I, like yourself, can understand what's in others' heads and hearts without agreeing. IMO we need to look after the people who ARE here on Earth first. But either way, taking a life is not a way to prove you are in favour of 'life'. It's unfortunate some people still don't get that.