The killing of Dr. George Tiller has unfortunately unleashed the hellish fury of certain women scorned, this time Lindsay E. Beyerstein over at Reproductive Health Reality Check. As we’ve noted before from other groups (Kansas City Star, National Abortion Federation, Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice America), the radical pro-abortionist crowd is itself engaging in inflammatory rhetoric, opportunistically parlaying Dr. Tiller’s tragic demise into furthering their own ham-handed political agenda. Simply reprehensible. Says Ms. Beyerstein,
little has been said about investigating the killing as an act of terrorism, a federal crime. The Oklahoma City bombers were investigated by the FBI and tried under a 1994 federal anti-terrorism statute, and that was before the PATRIOT ACT, which presumably makes it even easier to prosecute terrorism as a federal crime today.
Tiller’s murder was terrorism by any reasonable definition of the term. It was a politically-motivated act of conspicuous brutality, designed to suppress abortions through fear. The feds will probably stop short of investigating Tiller’s murder as a terrorist attack. That designation would unleash vast federal powers to investigate large swathes of the radical anti-choice movement and hold accountable anyone who gives them the slightest aid and comfort. The feds are simply not prepared for the political fallout that would ensue if, say, Operation Rescue were officially designated as a terrorist organization.
But Tiller’s assassination seems to be working as an intimidation tactic. On Tuesday, Dr. Tiller’s family announced that his clinic, one of only three facilities of its kind in the country, will close its doors forever.
Note the pains to which Ms. Beyerstein carefully chooses her words in order to shock and awe. Dr. Tiller’s “murder” (recall from seventh grade that in the United States there is still a presumption of innocence, despite appearances, so “killing” is appropriate until someone is proven guilty of “murder”), was “a politically-motivated act. . . designed to suppress abortions through fear.”
It is as if Ms. Beyerstein–shocking!–is reading directly from Title VIII of the USA Patriot Act, making no effort to conceal her intent to incite riotous applause from her already agitated readership. To close the sale, there’s this jewel: “Making explict [sic] the link between Tiller’s murder and larger political goals, the Associated Press headline calls the closing a “tainted victory” for the larger anti-choice movement.”
Well, there you go. No need for the FBI to do a thorough investigation of Mr. Roeder’s background and associates. The AP has done their work for them!
Quick, I need a paper bag.
