An Outright Lie about the Abortion Rights Movement

I apologize ahead of time for being such a political fist pumper the last few weeks. I was trying to stay away from it on this blog, but this pissed me off enough that I saw fit to write something about it.

In a debate posted on PBS.org, Troy Newman presented one of the most annoying lies I've ever seen, a card ignorant of the facts that should be seen as absolutely reprehensible.

Newman says (or writes, it's hard to tell, given the debate format):

Attempts to smear Operation Rescue with false accusations of culpability in the brutal murder of Tiller fall flat. Accusations that our rhetoric caused the slaying are untrue and only serve to inflame emotions. The pro-life movement is the most peaceful social movement in our nation's history. We preach and teach a message of life while refusing to skirt the truth of the painful fact that an abortion is, in and of itself, an act of violence that kills an innocent child. The truth is that Roeder has reportedly been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Early police statements were that he appeared to have acted alone. A lone student shot up Virginia Tech, but not all students are murderers. Postal workers have been known to kill fellow employees, but not all mailmen are terrorists. Muslims killed 3,000 Americans in the 9/11 attacks, but not all Muslims act out Jihad. However, all abortionists murder children.

I think the comparison between Islam and the "pro-life" movement is a little much. However, the comparison between the pro-life movement and a radical sect of Islam (like, say Wahhabi) seems incredibly appropriate. That, though, is a problem for another day.

The point is that what Newman has said is an outright lie.

I won't argue that the African-American Civil Rights movement was completely peaceful. The approaches of the Nation of Islam were a blemish, as were the aggressive positions of many leaders in the movement who dissented from the peace-based position of Dr. King and A.J. Heschel (who I mention, because he was a great leader and an interesting voice alongside Dr. King's).

Still, if one looks at the protests opposed to gay marriage, or in support of it, there's far less violence on that issue.

You know why?

Because the term "murder" doesn't get thrown around.

If Troy Newman feels the term is appropriate, he's entitled to his rhetoric, but he's an idiot if he thinks it doesn't have consequences. Any pro-life activist who uses the term murder is entitled, by the First Amendment, to say whatever they like. However, since murder is a crime punished in the Bible by retributive execution (death) and that practice of killing murderers is still common in parts of western society (and not dead in the United States), people here the term "murderer" thrown at an abortion doctor and (you know what they think?) he's a murderer.

This mindset quickly becomes:

What do we do to murderers?

Kill 'em.

And there goes the pro-life term.

Just to solidly debunk Newman's claim that the pro-life movement is peaceful, here are just two events worth remembering from within three months of each other in 1993.

Murder of Dr. David Gunn. In March of 1993, Dr. David Gunn was shot and killed by Michael F. Griffin. Posters of Griffin with a wanted style appearance (if you get the connection to the above) had been distributed by Operation Rescue.

The first shooting of Dr. George Tiller (RIP). In July of 1993 Dr. Tiller was shot outside of the abortion facility where he worked in Wichita, Kansas. The shooting occurred at the same time as a demonstration by Operation Rescue outside of the clinic.

Of course, I mention these because Newman's organization has been tied to both incidents, as well as the fatal shooting of Dr. Tiller on May 31st of this year.

The Washington Post piece links above makes the hard connections to Operation Rescue (so that I don't have to). That said, it's despicable that Newman would make that claim, as its so patently false. I hope he understands what an idiot he sounds like.