This is pretty scary: An anonymous Republican senator has put a hold on a resolution condeming clinic violence. Apparently this guy can’t even bring himself to declare that killing doctors is wrong. The resolution in its entirety reads:
Whereas Dr. George Tiller of Wichita, Kansas was shot to death at church on Sunday, May 31;
Whereas there is a history of violence against providers of reproductive health care, as health care employees have suffered threats and hostility in order to provide crucial services to patients;
Whereas the threat or use of force or physical obstruction has been used to injure, intimidate, or interfere with individuals seeking to obtain or provide health care services; and
Whereas acts of violence are never an acceptable means of expression and always shall be condemned:
Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— (1) Expresses great sympathy for the family, friends and patients of Dr. George Tiller; (2) Recognizes that acts of violence should never be used to prevent women from receiving reproductive health care; and (3) Condemns the use of violence as a means of resolving differences of opinion.
Not at all controversial.
We’ve written a lot about the anti-choice movement here on Feministe and elsewhere, and have long argued that the systematic and ongoing violence against women’s health clinics is not the work of lone wackos, as the mainstream media and anti-choice groups often portray it; rather, fault lies with the mainstream “pro-life” movement and a right-wing political establishment that tacitly condones and even promotes anti-choice violence. This is a pretty good example. Republican Congressmen aren’t out shooting doctors, but they are making it clear that they aren’t going to condemn those who do. That’s a pretty frightening perspective, and it lends credence to those people who do commit violent acts. It leads them to believe that they are supported by the Republican party, corporate media and the pro-life establishment.
And they are.
It’s not just an anonymous Congressman obstructing a resolution on clinic violence. It’s Joe Scarborough — now on the “liberal” network MSNBC — defending doctor-killer Michael Griffin pro-bono (Gunn had an attorney, so this wasn’t a matter of a man needing representation. It was Scarborough seeking out the case and voluntarily taking it on, until he was removed). It’s the National Right-to-Life Committee giving Scarborough $15,210 the next year, helping him to win a Congressional seat. Heck, the senior policy advisor of Operation Rescue herself went to prison for two years for conspiring to bomb a California abortion clinic.
The support for anti-choice violence is strong and deep. It’s in the mainstream “pro-life” movement, and it’s in the Republican party. The GOP should be ashamed right now.
Similar Posts:
- “Pro-Life” groups to honor murderers by Jill June 20, 2007
- Kansas AG’s harassment of an abortion provider fails again by Jill December 26, 2006
- Republicans Hate Babies by Jill July 24, 2007
- Abortion and Health Care: Is there common ground? by Jill August 10, 2009
- Dr. Tiller’s Clinic Will Remain Closed by Cara June 9, 2009
What a bunch of bullshit that they can anonymously block a vote without reason in the first place! In addition to being just plain appalling and disgusting, this is also outrageously cowardly.
An anonymous congressman? How much do you want to bet everyone knows who it is but has some bullshit idea about privacy or deference or something. Fuck it, if you’re a public official and you want to do something in your capacity as a public official you should have to do it out in the open with your name on it and any camera on you thats interested enough to point in your direction. Anything less isn’t cowardice, it’s treason.
Well gee – I guess then they really are abandoning thier “pro-life” stance, and openly admitting it is THEY who decide should live in peace. Ironic, no? They feel so strongly about a fetus’ life and will shame any woman for thinking her life is worth more….yet here they are…killing MD’s and assisting in the perpetration of more violence. Anyone else see the paradox?
What is wrong with this country when Congress has to actually declare that murder and unprovoked assault againt fellow human beings is wrong, and then a lawmaker does not immediately approve such a declaration?
And this declaration is aimed at religious extremeists who claim to follow the teachings of Christ – and I’m pretty sure he didn’t condone murder or violence in any form (I am an atheist, btw). Why aren’t other Christians, who are non-violent (and actually Christ-like) discouraging this? I’m sorry, but religion can no longer act as a barrier to allow people to act in a criminal fashion because their beliefs “require” it or “god told them to.” Separation of church and state, people. MAJOR issue that our coutry was founded on.
You’ve got the text of the resolution up there, but you don’t think like a proper misogynistic wingnut. When they read it, it looks like this:
Which is why we’re not going to find common ground with these asshats.
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The GOP should be ashamed right now. But we know they are not. Idiots tend to be proud of their idiocy.
call me cynical, but this is a perfect example of how impotent congress really is. of course its outrageous and shocking that this person would actively attempt to suppress a resolution condemning violence against health-care providers, but ohmygod, is that the best we can do? a resolution? a statement? a little piece of paper saying that congress thinks murder is a big ol’ no-no? thats going to show the violent anti-choice contingent! because those people really care about what congress/rational americans thinks of them.
also, i am in no way implying that congress is made up of rational americans.
I agree with Kate S;it is a bit of a weak stand. But, even this weak stand was too strong to go unchallenged. I imagine that a decision to “clamp down on right-wing extremism and hate speech among pro-life groups” would have been laughed at by most of the GOP and maybe the Democrats too.
Both George Tilers death and the death of a guard at a holocaust museum followed closely on the heels of a Homeland Security report stating, ‘right-wing extremism is at similar levels to those experienced before the Oklahoma city bombing [by a white-supremacist fanatic]‘
Don’t want to post a link so, if you want to check it out google: Big Hate NYtimes
The way you have it written, it sounds like Dr. David Gunn was the killer who Scarborough defended. Dr. Gunn was actually the Dr. who was killed. I believe the killer’s name was Griffin.
Hopefully by now, someone outed the GOP Senator that put a hold on a non-controversial resolution that condemns domestic terrorism against OB-GYNs.
Point of clarification, counselor…
I’m sure it was a simple oversight, but you may want to edit your post to indicate that Dr. David Gunn was the victim – Gunn was the OB/GYN abortion provider who was murdered.
His killer was Michael F. Griffin, and that is the individual to whom Joe Scarborough offered his legal services in 1993.
…wow. I’m a moron. Thanks DTG!