Stronger White House Action Needed on Abortion Murder

As the President of the National Organization for Women in Wichita, Kansas in the 1980s, I went toe to toe with the anti-abortion extremists outside the clinic of Dr. George Tiller every Saturday morning while trying to get female patients safely through the doors. And as the main pro-choice spokesperson in the state's largest media market, I got plenty of threats - enough to watch my back every time I walked out of my house at night.

But my situation was child's play compared to what Dr. Tiller endured in the service of women's rights. His clinic was bombed. His house was picketed. His family was harassed. He survived a shooting in both arms.

Despite all of his, he endured and continued to serve women in dire need of help. He was often the last hope for desperate women carrying fetuses that were severely deformed with no chance of survival, but still having the potential to take the woman's life if carried to term. And as we all know, Dr. Tiller's luck ran out last Sunday when he was murdered in church.

Women's rights advocates and persons of good will everywhere are shocked and outraged at this act of domestic terrorism. President Obama is also, according to his very brief statement denouncing "heinous acts of violence" such as that visited on Tiller.

Good start - but where's the rest? Where is the action plan? Where is the mobilization? I would have liked to see the President surrounded by his law enforcement team--leaders of the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and their component agencies such as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the FBI--making a very high profile public statement with coverage on all the major media outlets stating unequivocally that this kind of domestic terrorism will not be tolerated. I want the president to stand up and say that EVERY avenue of law enforcement, from financial investigations to violation of gun laws, will be used against the extremist groups, including extremist Christian groups, who foment and support this kind of terrorism.

So far, we have only a statement from Attorney General Eric Holder that he has made the US Marshal Service available for greater security at clinics, but there is not so much as a press release on the DOJ website. We need more. The New York Times has called on Mr. Holder to consider taking the additional step of revitalizing the National Task Force on Violence against Health Care Providers that former Attorney General Janet Reno established during the Clinton years.

If the President had directed that that be done in conjunction with making a strong visible statement about beefed up law enforcement instead of merely issuing a sound bite, maybe we would have seen that played over and over in the media instead of hate-filled journalists denouncing women who seek abortions and those that help them as criminals worthy of hunting down. Nothing like giving the next nut-case some more fuel to go after the next abortion rights doctor.

Only a couple of months ago Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano had to apologize for a report from her department that pointed out the very real likelihood of just the type of act that occurred on Sunday. Perhaps that report was issued because the president was trying to find common ground with the anti-abortionists. I'm all for dialogue, but only after the president strongly states that forging common ground with them means they must act to stamp out this kind of terrorism in their own ranks. We say it all the time about Islamic extremists. Why not the Christian extremists?

Mr. Obama knows the two ends will never meet on abortion itself, so he wants dialogue on reducing unwanted pregnancy. Having birth control freely available in all our schools would be a great first step, but - whoops -- we haven't yet zeroed out all the "abstinence only" funding in the President's budget for 2010. A LOT of that money goes to anti-abortion groups. Not a cent goes to groups advocating responsible birth control.

The majority of women and men in this country are pro choice. Nobody is against the efforts to make abortion less prevalent-- we're all for that too. Abortion is not a pleasant procedure. I've never spoken with a woman who wouldn't have preferred not to have one. But to preserve women's lives, we simply must keep it safe, legal and available. The campaign of domestic terrorism -- against abortion providers, abortion clinics, women who have abortions, foundations that fund research and advocacy on reproductive rights, and those who write and speak favorably about the right to abortion -- is designed to make it increasingly unsafe and unavailable.

Having watched several hours of the 'liberal' media over the last three days, both MSNBC and CNN, I have not heard the role of Christian extremism in fomenting tragedies such as the Tiller murder condemned even once. Our media are so fond of decrying and condemning Islamic extremism--why not condemn Christian extremism? Many of those who purvey hate against abortion providers and encourage violence against them do so in the name of Jesus Christ, a man whose teachings are generally regarded as the core of the Christian religion.

We cannot allow Christian extremists to drive our society toward a state of anarchy, in which civilians have no protection against the risk of bodily harm or even death at the hands of these religiously inspired terrorists. I say this as someone who has experienced these threats first hand. Those who work in the abortion rights movement feel increasingly isolated and vulnerable. We all have a moral obligation to stand with them against intimidation and terrorism.

The great majority of Christians are not terrorists. They are people of good will. The president himself should call on his fellow Christians to root out extremism in their ranks - a strong beginning point for any dialogue on common ground.

Comments

[Zanti]

Superb piece. It's horrifying and heartbreaking to read that Tiller "wasoften the last hope for desperate women carrying fetuses that were severely deformed with no chance of survival, but still having the potential to take the woman's life if carried to term." And it makes it downright shameful that Obama failed to make a strong statement or follow up such a statement with a firm plan. I had been defending the President against all kinds of criticisms, but no more--this is moral failure.

To be sure, Obama could accomplish a great deal simply by clarifying and emphasizing the circumstances of women in regard to the lack of abortion availability and what this means, not only in terms of reproductive choice, but women's health, period. For the President to stay virtually silent on this matter is to declare women's health of no great concern. If playing to a corrupt status quo, or set thereof, is his idea of governing from the center, he needs to rethink his concept (as you note).

Re MSNBC, I recall Rachel Maddow firmly calling out the Christian extremists in question. And calling out Obama for not adequately responding. She was as powerful as ever in her quiet way. However, you're right about the rest of the "liberal" media, all of whom seem to tip-toe lest they too loudly denounce the right.

[CynAnne]

Very well said, Martha. I promise those who wonder "How could she do something like that?" that no woman considers an abortion in a cavalier, spur-of-the-moment, "Hmmm, nothing to do today..why not get an abortion?" manner..we agonize, and suffer, and think (and re-think) about this literally life-changing event unfolding before us. And I hope that now, finally, our Government will take those who are domestic terrorists against choice as seriously as they finally took racism in the south, and bring these violent extremists to justice..

[Atticus]

Oh yeah, sure! Overreacting is *really* going to help your cause!

[femecon]

I'd also like to see our national women's groups making a very strong joint statement, hold a press conference, and in general give this issue more attention. If they put on more pressure, it may be morel likely that the White House would in fact do more. Also the church groups, our women senators (especially the women), the Congressional Caucus on Women's Issues (democratic members anyway)

[zell]

I agree with Ms Burk. Stronger white house action is needed on abortion murder. What happened to the Justice Department and the FBI instituting Task Forces to concentrate on special actions? Since Roe vs Wade is the law of the land, anyone who kills someone upholding the law, whether he or she agrees with it or not, should be prosecuted to the fullest extent. It seems as if law enforcement in Kansas will not be prosecuting this case to the fullest extent. If people start killing others based on whether they agree with them or not, then America will decline more rapidly than it is declining now. We really need to pray for our country. May the Lord bless and keep the Tiller family in their time of sorrow.

[Tom Rollison]

Thank you for reminding me of the ugly face of christian extremism. I was angry at the news but we need to contextualize our anger. And it is christian extremism. When they kill for their "religion" they are in no way shape or form different from islamic extremists or any other fanatical terrorists. If it was an islamic person behind the gun all the papers would be screaming"­terrorism!­" I'm sick and tired of such double standards. Where is Homeland Security when we need them?

[Bramble8]

Well said. I am absolutely agree that the President should speak out on this issue.