This morning a friend of mine -- a wonderful man I have known for thirty years -- was shot and killed. He was executed -- shot at point blank range while ushering in his church. This was not a robbery -- not a domestic dispute -- not an accident -- not a surprising act of violence. This was a mob hit.
(George Tiller, MD)
In November 2008, I published here an essay sent to me by Charlotte Taft in the post If You're A Feminist, You'll Vote Obama. At that time, I introduced her as: "Charlotte Taft is what I think of as a Feminist's Feminist. She is particularly well-known and respected in Texas because she founded the Routh Street Women's Clinic, the first feminist reproductive rights clinic in our state. Routh Street became known, under her leadership, as a place where the whole woman was treated, where abortion was approached as the complicated and life-altering decision that it is without judgment or denial. With her efficient pragmatism and creative humor, she managed to dissuade Operation Rescue and other hate groups from keeping Routh Street Clinic as its number one target."
Tonight I received an e-mail from her which read "I was stunned this morning to have someone telling me of the murder of my longtime friend and colleague Dr. George Tiller. I have come to believe that the only useful response is one that is in our own hands -- hence my essay. Please share it if it speaks to you."
It did speak to me. I share it with you below.
The man, Dr. George Tiller, had been shot before -- and his offices vandalized and bombed more times than I can count. He had been vilified and demonized and mercilessly attacked, and through it all he never wavered in his commitment to serving his patients -- the women who for myriad reasons needed the later term abortions that were not available anywhere but at his Kansas clinic. George and his staff reminded patients of their goodness -- he valued family and love. In my visits to his center my foremost memory is of the thousands of letters of gratitude he received from women whose lives he saved literally and figuratively. It was George who said, “To understand abortion you must understand the heart of a woman.” He was a rare and generous man, and one of a kind.
The mob in question has long been known for its brutality -- for past murders, bullying, stalking, domestic terrorism, kidnapping, vandalism, intimidation, and emotional blackmail. Yet this mob hides behind religion and behind respectable churchgoing people. This mob does the dirty work for the nice people. This time, as every past time, the nice people will say that they didn’t know about it, or have anything to do with it. Yet they created the atmosphere that allowed George Tiller’s death as surely as if they had pulled the trigger themselves.
In my grief and anger this morning I want to find some way to wake this country up to the fact that these are the people who are supposed to be so reasonable. But their idea of compromise is for everyone to obey them!
The middle ground in abortion is LEAVE ME ALONE TO FOLLOW MY OWN CONSCIENCE! Pro-choice IS ALREADY the middle ground.
I got a note from George Tiller dated 5/13/09. “Charlotte -- We have come a long way!!! Sometimes it seems as if we are back at the beginning. Thank you for your love and support throughout these decades.” His words echoed the fears of many of us who provide abortion services -- that we are once again in a Twilight Zone in which brutality, murder, bullying, stalking, domestic terrorism, kidnapping, vandalism, intimidation, and emotional blackmail are rewarded with respect and treated with kid gloves. I have been an abortion counselor for more than thirty years. I have already lived through murders of my friends and colleagues and the violence against doctors and clinics across the country. I have watched as the police allowed my colleagues to be overrun by whomever held up the biggest cross. A small number of people, no matter how dedicated, makes an easy target.
I believe that we abortion providers have made a fatal mistake. We have stood between the millions of women in this country who have had abortions, and the vicious, righteous, hypocritical terrorists that make up the anti abortion movement. We positioned ourselves as the guard of women’s freedom, dignity, and integrity, but in our wish to protect our patients we have forgotten that it is their freedom we fight for. We have turned ourselves inside out and in many ways sacrificed our lives to protect the most fundamental and primitive and basic freedom of all -- the freedom to decide when and if to bring children into the world. More than 45 million women have had legal abortions in this country, yet we have guarded their secrets and their voices are not heard. This latest murder screams to us that, as the gay right movement taught us, silence equals death.
I call upon my colleagues for a new order. We can no longer collude in the shame and silence that the anti abortion forces have laid upon women like a pall. As every other group who treasures freedom we must break open that silence. We must do it in honor of the values we stand for -- and in honor of our fallen heroes.
~~Charlotte Taft, 31 May 2009
(Quote from Audre Lorde.)
[Cross-posted at Group News Blog.]
Monday, June 1, 2009
CHARLOTTE TAFT, FRIEND OF DR. GEORGE TILLER, WRITES: THIS WAS A MOB HIT
Friday, November 21, 2008
STOP HHS PROMOTING RELIGIOUS MINORITY BELIEFS AHEAD OF MEDICAL CARE AND SCIENCE
Back in July I wrote about Bush's attempt to redefine contraception as "abortion" and allow any health care worker in a business receiving federal funding to refuse medical services to women if they find such care "objectionable". Despite rigorous effort by Senators Hillary Clinton and Patty Murray, and public action facilitated by activists such as those on this blog, the Department of Health and Human Services under Michael Leavitt has rolled on like a tank to enact this new rule. You can read more about it at Planned Parenthood's action site, where you can speak out yourself. I'm also copying in below the press release sent out about this travesty.
It reminds me of the lowest form of home invasion, where after everything valuable is stolen and a house is trashed, on their way out the door the criminals take a dump in the corner. That's what the Bush regime is doing these final days.
Hurry, Tom Daschle. Hurry.
SENATORS CLINTON AND MURRAY INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO STOP NEW HHS RULE THAT WOULD UNDERMINE WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE
WASHINGTON, DC — In light of reports that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is preparing to enact a rule that would undermine critical health care services for women and families, Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Patty Murray (D-WA) today introduced legislation that would prevent the HHS rule from going into effect. The proposed HHS rule would require any health care entity that receives federal financing to certify in writing that none of its employees are required to assist in any way with medical services they find objectionable. The proposed bill would keep HHS from moving forward with this rule.
"In the final days of his administration, the President is again putting ideology first and attempting to roll back health care protections for women and families. The fact that the EEOC was never consulted in the drafting of this rule further illustrates that this is purely a political ploy. This HHS rule will threaten patients' rights, stand in the way of health care professionals, and restrict access to critical health care services for those who need them most. Senator Murray and I are standing up once again to the administration against this rule and will continue to fight for women's reproductive rights. President Bush is making a last-minute attempt to undermine women's health care, but our legislation will stop this rule and ensure that women can continue to get needed health care," said Senator Clinton.
"It's now clear that the Bush Administration is so desperate to move their political agenda forward that they are even willing to ignore the advice of their own appointed lawyers. But patient protection and access to care should never take a back seat to politics," Senator Murray said. "Senator Clinton and I are introducing this legislation to ensure that the health of patients always come first. For eight years this administration has worked to undermine women's health but they won't get away with it on their way out the door."
"This midnight regulation is another outrageous attempt by the Bush administration to deny women access to vital health care information and services," said Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards. "Planned Parenthood applauds members of Congress for taking on the task of undoing the abysmal policy mandates and we stand ready to work with them to ensure women have access to the full range of reproductive health care options."
Senators Clinton and Murray have led the effort to block HHS from implementing this new rule. Following a meeting with HHS Secretary Michael O. Leavitt on September 23, Senators Clinton and Murray led a group of 28 Senators urging Secretary Leavitt to halt the proposed HHS rule. Senators Clinton and Murray on called for the meeting with Secretary Leavitt on August 8 after Secretary Leavitt failed to reply to several letters from the Senators and instead defended the proposed HHS policies on his personal blog.
The senators have worked in the past to stop efforts by the Bush Administration to put in place ideological barriers to women's health. They successfully led the fight to secure an administration decision on the over-the-counter sale of Plan B emergency contraception after more than three years of Administration delay.
[Cross-posted at Group News Blog.]
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
HELP STOP "RELIGIOUS BELIEF" ASSAULT ON CONTRACEPTION
(Graffiti billboard photo by Jill Posener.)
On July 23, I posted at Group News Blog about a proposed change to Department of Health and Human Services regulations which would allow the re-definition of contraception as "abortion" and the subsequent denial of contraceptive services on religious grounds. A month later, despite action by Senator Hillary Clinton, the ACLU's Reproductive Freedom Project, and others, those suggested changes were made into formal proposals.
According to the ACLU, "The rule leaves open the possibility that -- based on religious beliefs -- institutions and individuals can deny women access to birth control. It also permits individuals to refuse to provide information and counseling about basic heath care services. And it expands existing laws by permitting a wider range of health care professionals to refuse to provide even referrals for abortions.
"The public comment period on these insidious regulations is open until September 25. Help generate a massive outcry."
Click on the link below to submit a form with your objection. The response thus far is very encouraging. And please help spread the word.
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