Gravely Wicked (Robert George on the Murder of George Tiller)

National Review ^ | 5/31/09 | Robert P. George

[nickcarraway]

Whoever murdered George Tiller has done a gravely wicked thing. The evil of this action is in no way diminished by the blood George Tiller had on his own hands. No private individual had the right to execute judgment against him. We are a nation of laws. Lawless violence breeds only more lawless violence. Rightly or wrongly, George Tilller was acquitted by a jury of his peers. "Vengeance is mine, says the Lord." For the sake of justice and right, the perpetrator of this evil deed must be prosecuted, convicted, and punished. By word and deed, let us teach that violence against abortionists is not the answer to the violence of abortion. Every human life is precious. George Tiller's life was precious. We do not teach the wrongness of taking human life by wrongfully taking a human life. Let our "weapons" in the fight to defend the lives of abortion's tiny victims, be chaste weapons of the spirit.

— Robert P. George is McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University.

[nathanbedford]

Was von Stauffenberg justified in his attempt to murder Hitler?

If you are inclined to say he was and you anticipate the next question which is, why then is not the murder of Tiller equally justified, you will have already prepared your response. You will say that Nazi Germany was a rogue nation without the rule of law and therefore there was no regular way to stop Hitler from murdering except to murder him. The United States, you would say, operates under the rule of law and therefore the two circumstances cannot be equated even if the iniquity of the men might be.

Indeed, you might say that Tiller was brought to justice and acquitted.

There are, however, some factors to be considered in the American situation which move it away from our ideal and closer to von Stauffenberg's moral dilemma. These are matters of degree.

The first is the legitimacy of the opinion in Roe vs. Wade. If Hitler found a court to ratify every one of his crimes, did that make von Stauffenberg's attempt unjust? These courts tried and convicted von Stauffenberg's conspirators, are we to look behind the legitimacy of these courts to examine whether we will give the German court system deference? If so, may we look behind the court's decision in Roe vs. Wade for the same reason? If we do not give the constitutionally ordered court of Nazi Germany due deference is it because 7 million people were put into ovens? If 30 or 40 million American babies are put into dumpsters, does that give us warrants to repudiate our courts?

Does the court decision in Roe vs. Wade stand inviolate merely because it comes in the regular order of business from our constitutionally ordained court? Do we apply the same standard to Dred Scott? In fact, was not the holding of Dred Scott simply set aside by the national executive and even before that by Yankee generals in the field without due process of law? If Dred Scott can be put aside by unelected generals, what can a citizen do about Roe vs. Wade?

When John Brown was apprehended, tried, and convicted for instruction because of his opposition to slavery and Dred Scott, did the nation not thereafter turn them into a martyr? What effect did the calculated transformation Ossawatamie John Brown from a murderer to a martyr have on the rule of law? Did it grow respect for the rule of law in the South? In the North?

Did John Brown believe he was justified in committing terrorism and murder for the same reasons that motivated von Stauffenberg? What do these three individuals, Tiller's murderer, John Brown, and von Stauffenberg have in common? Certainly all three were appalled by victims in their millions. Certainly all three believed that the political system as it was organized and operating offered no redress to save these millions of victims. John Brown and von Stauffenberg have in common that they were adjudged and executed. They also have in common that history has exonerated and rehabilitated them.

Why is it so far-fetched to think that when the body of the murderer of George Tiller has lain a moldering in the grave for a decent period of time, that he too will be rehabilitated?

Let the reader be advised that even George Tiller's life is precious. That his murder must be condemned. That the murderer must be punished. But let us not deify George Tiller and certainly not make a martyr of a man who could comfortably be compared to Dr. Mengele. Let us not avert our eyes from the truth that our political/juridical system is complicit in the murder of 30 to 40,000,000 babies. Let us not assume that our system is perfect, that the victim should be deified and made into a martyr, and that those who oppose abortion are the real murderers.

[Caipirabob]

No private individual had the right to execute judgment against him. We are a nation of laws. Lawless violence breeds only more lawless violence. Rightly or wrongly, George Tilller was acquitted by a jury of his peers. "Vengeance is mine, says the Lord." For the sake of justice and right, the perpetrator of this evil deed must be prosecuted, convicted, and punished.

Explain that to the socialists.

Feh...

Sorry, but we are no longer a nation of laws. We are a nation of biased preference for protected classes. Ask soon to be "justice" Sotomayor. If you are lucky, you can redefine yourself to be a victim, and maybe you'll get "protected justice".

The rest of us, included the innocent unborn, are consigned to the imagine of justice our government wants to impress upon the serfdom.

But it is hardly "equal justice". That crap doesn't fly any more.

[Caipirabob]

Brilliant post, sir. Again...

[carcraft]

If Tiller was going to be murdered, perhaps a trocar stuck into his skull and his brains sucked out, or left naked in the cold to freeze, starve or die of dehydration...

[carcraft]

If Tiller was going to be murdered, perhaps a trocar stuck into his skull and his brains sucked out, or left naked in the cold to freeze, starve or die of dehydration...

[nathanbedford]

Thanks.

[y6162]

“Good riddance.”

Looks like he needs another. Shoot him again.

[lmc12]

about Tiller, he aborted babies with Trisomey 13, 18, Polycystic Kidney Diisease primarily. This country has to come up with an alternative for these parents who are terrified of having a handicapped child. Without that there are other Tillers waiting in the wings and they will convince themselves they are doing this procedure “out of compassion”.

[dixiedarlindownsouth]

AWESOME response! Got my blood pumping pretty early this morning!

[reg45]

Re: Tiller

There will be a beatification ceremony on NPR this morning.

[Earthdweller]

“For the sake of justice and right, the perpetrator of this evil deed must be prosecuted, convicted, and punished."

Now I'm going to hear John Brown's Song playing in my head all day.

John Brown's Body

(Original tune of The Battle Hymn of the Republic sung by soldiers in the Civil war before it was rewritten)

John Brown's Body lies a-mouldering in the grave,
John Brown's Body lies a-mouldering in the grave,

But his soul goes marching on.

Chorus: Glory, glory, hallelujah,

His soul goes marching on

He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord,
He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord,

His soul goes marching on.

John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,
John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,

His soul goes marching on.

John Brown died that the slaves might be free,
John Brown died that the slaves might be free,

But his soul goes marching on.

The stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down,

On the grave of old John Brown.

[Outrance]

America is a country of laws that are bought and paid for by special interests. In the court room so too is justice a comodity. Justice is something one must pay for.

Tiller knew that and he paid for the priviledge of making money as he did. He paid off politicians and bought legal expertise. The cost of doing business was high but it was still profitable.

The tragedy in this is not the death of Tiller but that a man with the talent and ability to be a doctor would invest it in destroying life rather than saving it.

Will the world be a kinder and gentler place without Tiller or has it lost something of value?

[Biggirl]

History is repeating itself. While this recent killing MUST be condemmed, there is a partern from history that is being repeated in the years just prior to the Civil in which the efforts to end slavery began to get violent.

[Biggirl]

Frankly I am not suprised about what has happened yesterday. History has a very interesting way of repeating itself. In the years leading up to the Civil War, with the efforts to end slavery in itself, the violence also went up at the same time. While this killing MUST be condemmed, do not be suprised at the same time.

[Biggirl]

Good news is that a recent survey says that there are MORE pro-life people then pro-abortion people.

[Joe Boucher]

Well said Crim.
Tiller is burning in hell.
And a lot of babies will not be killed by this killer.

[CalvaryJohn]

An aside- The commander of the contingent that arrested John Brown was none other than Col. Robert E. Lee.

[Joe Boucher]

Well said farmer18th
Don’t forget money money money MONEY.
If ya gots it laws can be gotten around.

[Joe Boucher]

Not too sure I’d vote to convict were I sitting on the jury.
Temporary sanity.

[wastoute]

We have not been a "nation of laws" for some time now. The outworkings of just what that means are beginning to take hold. "It" is beginning.

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