By Jill McLaughlin 
I’ve just learned the news of the cold blooded killing of Dr. George Tiller in Kansas City. He was one of the very few doctors in the country to perform late term abortions He was shot at his church this morning.
While I’m sickened by this, I’m not surprised. Why am I not surprised, you may ask? Well, I’m not surprised because this is what happens from seeking common ground with those who do not want common ground with you. Our President has talked about common ground throughout his campaign and up to his controversial appearance at Notre Dame. Sunsara Taylor has spoken at length about the deadly illusion that somehow there is common ground to be had and puts that question of whether we should even seek common ground with Christian fascists on trial.
The “pro-life” crowd, as they like to call themselves, have no respect for life or reality as it is. The reality is that a fetus is not a person. The reality is that women are not the property of men, nor are their bodies nor are they the property of any god that these men and women believe in. They do not respect women in the least if they continually insist that somehow it’s their duty to determine what a woman does with her body.
Sadly, the pro-choice movement has been blunted so much by the politics as usual and politics of the possible so that there is a lack of a real voice of resistance to these onslaughts by Christian fascists. They too are enamored by the illusions and delusions that they can find common ground with these folks. It’s time they start acting like they want there rights and lives respected and do so without apology. They need to start acting like the advocates for women’s rights that they consider themselves to be.
I have written this in raw anger and without apology. I will not back down.
I agree 100% and want to add: Why hasn\’t there been more outrage about President Obama appointing an anti-choice person as the head of the DNC and why isn\’t there more noise and outrage about his appointing an anti-choice person to the Supreme Court???
Didn\’t liberals and progressives support him becuase he was to pooint a progressive/liberal to the Supreme Court and end the Iraq war??? Isn\’t this why the liberal progressives said he was preferable to Hillary???
Well in the opinion of this liberal–Hillary would not have appointed anti-choice person to the DNC or Supreme Court.
When will I hear the outrage of the liberal/progressive organizations???
There is a second lesson here about properly setting the terms of our rights. Many freedom-lovers adore Freedom Of Speech so much that they\’ve softened towards those \”sidewalk counselors\” and the little guys with a Bible and a chair outside a clinic etc. But ALL of those anti\’s are part of the organized forces against our abortion providers. They are STALKING the clinics and doctors, just like any other type of stalker. And similarly, people do not take this seriously enough!
And I\’ll venture a Lesson #3 as well. Quit freaking celebrating the \”Fall Of Christian America,\” people! There has been NO VICTORY from electing Obama, it has NOT ended the moves towards theocracy, and it has merely changed their TACTICS. Why anyone has bought all the \”left-to-moderate side\” high-fiving over some so-called demise of the religious right is beyond me.
And all that high-fiving and joking about the GOP being weak etc has done it\’s intended job — we all were caught unprepared, and we\’ve lost one of our community\’s staunch but quiet heroes. Shame on those who condone murder in the name of \”Life.\” And shame on us who should have had Dr. Tiller\’s back but had left the battlefield far, far too early in the war.