Under Fire

Los Angeles

By Andrea Scarpino

I would like to write about love. Instead—

This weekend, Dr. George Tiller, one of the only doctors in the country who performed late-term abortions, was murdered (presumably by an anti-choice activist) in his church. In his place of worship. Tiller suffered decades of violence as a result of his commitment to women’s health and performing legal medical procedures, including a prior shooting, a bombing at his clinic and vandalism. He also suffered decades of legal abuse, fighting lawsuits brought against him by abortion opponents. I would have to imagine he also suffered decades of emotional abuse and stress. He was a father. A grandfather.

I am a longtime activist. I’ve walked the perimeters of women’s health clinics when they were under attack from anti-choice protestors. I’ve escorted women through picket lines so that they could keep their appointments inside the clinic. I haven’t done as much as I could have to protect women’s right to choose an abortion, but I’ve done enough to have had many hours of contact with people who disagree with abortion. And I’ve never seen as much hatred and vitriol from anyone—anti-American organizations included—as I’ve seen from certain factions of the anti-choice movement.

Whether or not you agree with abortion, whether or not you think it’s murder, whether or not you grapple with some of its troubling implications, such as its use to choose a baby without disability or with the “right” sex, whether or not—I would hope we could agree that murdering doctors in their place of worship, a place that is supposed to be holy and kind and full of God’s love, is the opposite of supporting life. The opposite of love.

I didn’t know Dr. Tiller and I don’t know why he chose to continue his practice even through decades of abuse and violence. But I do know that hatred cannot be allowed to win this battle. His murder cannot be his legacy. Instead, we must remember that he continued his work in the face of hatred, personal hardship and violence. That he refused to let hatred slow him down. That he took incredible personal risk to ensure women had access to a legal medical procedure. That his legacy is the women he helped, his compassion, his dedication, his many kindnesses. That his legacy is love.

 

Andrea Scarpino is the west coast Bureau Chief of POTB. Visit her at: www.andreascarpino.com