And this is not terrorism.... just how?

Update 2: Another post by Sara at Orcinus: Jesus Jihadis

Update (from one of the comments on this post at Feministe):

GallingGalla says: May
31st, 2009 at 9:22 pm - Edit several
forced-birthers (o excuse me, so-called “pro-lifers”) have posted comments
purporting to be expressing grief, shock, etc.

your words ring hollow. you had better think about the responsibility that you and your fellow
forced-birthers have in creating the environment that encouraged and abetted an act of terrorism. when you demonise and dehumanize doctors and abortion providers; when you spread lies about the women who are getting these abortions and hide the fact that the vast majority are getting abortions because the fetuses are so deformed that they CANNOT SURVIVE; when you slut-shame women and imply that they got pregnant because they did not “keep their pants on”, you are setting the ground work for these acts of terrorism.

“pro-life feminist”? give me a break, angry lifer. being a forced-birther is incompatible with
feminism. you advocate state control and male control over women’s bodies and women’s choices. you demonise and dehumanize women and seek to punish women who do not meet your definitions of what a “proper, chaste” woman is supposed to be. you demonise and dehumanize their health care providers. you harass and terrorize women trying to use those health care services, including those who are just trying to get a Pap smear or attend prenatal health classes.

there is no middle ground here. you are all hypocrites. you should be ashamed of yourselves.

I agree with this comment with all my heart, and wish I could express my rage and sorrow as clearly as she has.
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From the Seattle-PI: Kansas abortion doctor gunned down in church

The only doctor in Kansas who provided the FULL range of women's health services (including perfectly legal abortions, early or late) has been gunned down in the foyer of his church. The cowardly murderous slime that did it then "bravely" ran away. Leave behind the obvious fact that abortions were only a very small part of his offered services, and the fact that the major part of his practice involved providing basic gynecological care for girls and women of all ages - all those anti-abortion terrorists could think about was the fact that he helped girls and women end pregnancies that they were not ready for.

For the most part, in Kansas and other bible-belt states, a girl or woman who cannot afford his services outright has to go through so many kinds of hell to get to him in time that by the time he sees them, they are well into their second semester. And so the doc would have to do a late-term abortion, because of all the obstacles and harassment put in the way of women who are in no position to raise a child - either because they are too young to have jobs, or because they already have other children and cannot afford this one, or for WHATEVER reason the girl or woman may have, because I know that this is never an easy decision. EVER. For ANY woman.

Anyway, here are a few snippets from the story that really got my blood boiling:

Police did not release a motive for the shooting. But the doctor's violent death was the latest in a string of shootings and bombings over two decades directed against abortion clinics, doctors and staff.

Long a focus of national anti-abortion groups, including a summer-long protest in 1991, Tiller was shot in the foyer of Reformation Lutheran Church. Tiller's attorney, Dan Monnat, said Tiller's wife, Jeanne, was in the choir at the time.

And this:

The family said its loss "is also a loss for the city of Wichita and women across America. George dedicated his life to providing women with high-quality health care despite frequent threats and
violence." Stolz said all indications were that the gunman acted alone, although authorities were investigating whether he had any connection to anti-abortion groups.

Tiller's Women's Health Care Services clinic is one of just three in the nation where abortions are performed after the 21st week of pregnancy. The clinic was heavily fortified and Tiller often traveled with a bodyguard, but Stolz said there was no indication of security at the church Sunday.

And then this precious bit of smoke and mirrors - of course they are "shocked", why would they not be? After all, these are the people who constantly portray women health service providers as murderous scum that should be taken down any way possible. Of course I believe you, Operation Forced-Pregnancy, of course... NOT!!

"We are shocked at this morning's disturbing news that Mr. Tiller was gunned down," Troy Newman, Operation Rescue's president, said in a statement. "Operation Rescue has worked for years through peaceful, legal means, and through the proper channels to see him brought to justice. We denounce
vigilantism and the cowardly act that took place this morning."

Bah, these people make me sick. And then this:

The movement's leaders fear the killing could create a backlash just as they are scrutinizing U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, whose views on abortion rights are not publicly known.

A backlash against what? Them? Who in the world would ever care what a few fundie god-bothering forced-pregnancy fools think, except that they provide havens for terrorists like the cowardly murderous slime that killed Dr. Tiller? And why in the world would Judge Sotomayer's opinions about ANYTHING need to be public? She has already made it clear by her history on the appellate courts that she follows the LAW. End of story.

And anyway, why in the world would the confirmation of a judge even be a matter in any way remotely related to this conscientious and compassionate doctor's murder?