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Why Is Killing Abortionists Wrong?
Reason ^ | June 1, 2009 | Jacob Sullum

Posted on 06/09/2009 3:38:48 PM PDT by lasereye

Leading pro-life activists are denouncing the murder of Kansas abortion doctor George Tiller, but I'm not sure I understand why.

"It is immoral and it is unchristian," says the Rev. Rob Schenck of the National Clergy Council. Calling the killing "a cowardly act," Operation Rescue President Troy Newman says his group "has worked tirelessly on peaceful, nonviolent measures to bring [Tiller] to justice through the legal system, the legislative system....We are pro-life, and this act was antithetical to what we believe."

Yet if you honestly believe abortion is the murder of helpless children, it's hard to see why using deadly force against those who carry it out is immoral, especially since the government refuses to act.

Nor is it sufficient to note that killing Tiller was against the law. When the law blesses the murder of babies, it is hardly worthy of respect, any more than laws blessing the enslavement of Africans or the gassing of Jews were, and violent resistance against such enactments surely is justified in principle.

Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry implicitly condemns Tiller's murder, saying, "We grieve for him that he did not have time to properly prepare his soul to face God." Yet Terry continues to call Tiller a "mass murderer" and insists "the pro-life movement must not be browbeaten by Obama or the child-killers into surrendering our best rhetoric, actions and images," adding, "We hold absolutely no responsibility for [Tiller's] death."

How is it possible to believe that fetuses are people with a right to life yet also believe that using deadly force to defend that right is wrong?

(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: abortion; abortionists; prolife; tiller; trollbait
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To: fatima

That’s “you’re” a looser. Regardless, the questions are; at what point do you defend yourself or others? At what point does immorality trump legality? These are the questions here. And they are good questions to ask.


81 posted on 06/10/2009 9:16:17 AM PDT by Nuc1 (NUC1 Sub pusher SSN 668 (Liberals Aren't Patriots))
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To: Nuc1

I am not a good speller.:)


82 posted on 06/10/2009 9:52:13 AM PDT by fatima (Free hugs.)
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To: Mr Ramsbotham

Yes, it was against the law to help save Jews from Nazi butchers, but those who did were courageous heroes and not criminals.


83 posted on 06/10/2009 10:08:42 AM PDT by lasereye
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To: fatima

“Made sense to me last night:)Hey Marie are you going to Washington?”

Not this time. I would love to be able to, but it’s not in the cards right now. I think I would really enjoy a FReeper convention.


84 posted on 06/10/2009 12:34:54 PM PDT by Marie2 (The second mouse gets the cheese.)
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To: fatima

It’s OK. Sometimes I don’t make good arguments. :D)


85 posted on 06/10/2009 1:57:34 PM PDT by Nuc1 (NUC1 Sub pusher SSN 668 (Liberals Aren't Patriots))
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To: Ancesthntr
You can only be driven somewhere if you allow it. The principle of abiding by the law, and working to change it where you don't like it, must be adhered to or we go to Mad Max in a short time.

You can be driven if you allow it or not. The people who make the law and apply justice won't let us change the law and even now are working to so corrupt our voting process such that they cannot be thrown out of office by accurate vote. I hope but don't believe we will get real change in 2010. The MSM is a propaganda organ for the DNC which is a marxist group that calls themselves progressives. How do citizens get truthful information around which to form an informed opinion? Most aren't news junkies like me and probably you. Further, most won't believe truthful facts when they are presented to them, even with references. So absent change, the question remains do you obey any law passed? At what point does morality override law? Where do we draw the line? Where do you draw the line? You and I are in agreement. I simply believe we have crossed the line into Mad Max but we still possess the veneer of civilization.

86 posted on 06/10/2009 2:15:19 PM PDT by Nuc1 (NUC1 Sub pusher SSN 668 (Liberals Aren't Patriots))
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To: trumandogz

While the argument is logical that all participating in carrying out an abortion, if its illegal in the land...that extension of the law would make it that abortion would Never become illegal.

there is no way any state or jurisdiction would prosecute the docotr, the womand and the spouse.


87 posted on 06/10/2009 2:20:18 PM PDT by Recovering Ex-hippie
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To: Recovering Ex-hippie
America has to accept the fact that killing a fetus is the same as killing a child. And unfortunately, in this country, it is now legal to kill a certain group of children.

Once abortion is made illegal, it would be in unjust to classify to types of child murder as different, one with the killers receiving harsh punishment and the other where the killers are not punished.

See Equal Protection Clause.

88 posted on 06/10/2009 2:42:33 PM PDT by trumandogz (The Democrats are driving us to Socialism at 100 MPH -The GOP is driving us to Socialism at 97.5 MPH)
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To: Nuc1
Hehehe,I do good verbally but not well in writing.That's one of the reasons I like Free Republic .You hear many sides of a debate and you really have to think before you post.
89 posted on 06/10/2009 3:47:36 PM PDT by fatima (Free hugs.)
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To: Marie2
Darn,I will be there with my husband and my daughter and her fiancée..As we get closer to the date more in the family might be able to join us.I look forward to meeting everyone:)
90 posted on 06/10/2009 3:51:35 PM PDT by fatima (Free hugs.)
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To: fatima
Indeed so. When I first started posting a knowledgeable FReeper cleaned my clock. Which made me better. I wish I knew how to post pictures though. Oh well...looking forward to seeing more posts from you.

Later.

Nuc 1

91 posted on 06/10/2009 4:05:32 PM PDT by Nuc1 (NUC1 Sub pusher SSN 668 (Liberals Aren't Patriots))
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To: wtc911
"then we’d know that slavery was a cakewalk"

It sure beat the alternative at the time. Being killed and eaten by your fellow African captors surely was worse than their selling you to the slave trader. Those captors surely could never have imagined that they were ensuring that your descendants would one day live in comparative luxury compared to their descendants. Being brought to America to one day live as equals of all others should be one of the highlights of black history. Otherwise, where would they be today?

92 posted on 06/10/2009 7:42:03 PM PDT by Uncle Sham
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To: Uncle Sham
It sure beat the alternative at the time. Being killed and eaten by your fellow African captors surely was worse than their selling you to the slave trader.

________________________________________

Every once in a while some freeper writes a post that legitimizes every left wing accusation about the worst in us. Congratulations.

93 posted on 06/11/2009 5:06:51 AM PDT by wtc911 ("How you gonna get back down that hill?")
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To: wtc911

I simply stated the truth. That’s what freepers should be doing.


94 posted on 06/11/2009 5:27:17 AM PDT by Uncle Sham
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To: Uncle Sham

The fact that you think it’s the truth is what is so ugly. We know that America still has guys like you around; one of them just made big news in DC.


95 posted on 06/11/2009 6:16:31 AM PDT by wtc911 ("How you gonna get back down that hill?")
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To: Nuc1

Some folks explain how to post pictures here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/522594/posts


96 posted on 06/11/2009 6:20:22 AM PDT by MrB (Go Galt now, save Bowman for later)
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To: wtc911

I’ve perused a few of your postings on other topics and have a little friendly advice for you.
Displaying your ignorance is your right. If you want to pick fights on websites with that third grade education of yours, have at it. You’d be better off picking your nose.


97 posted on 06/11/2009 3:51:40 PM PDT by Uncle Sham
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To: ml/nj

Slavery is not the same as the Holocaust at all. The Jews’ murder in the death camps is a more accurate comparison to the unjust killing of unborn children through abortion. People had to break the law and face the death penalty to help Jews.


98 posted on 06/11/2009 8:49:24 PM PDT by virtuous
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