Tragedy All Round

(ht Andrew Sullivan)

Abortion provider Dr. George Tiller was shot dead in a Wichita, Kansas church this morning -- the culmination of an escalating campaign of terror against him over the past fifteen years. This incendiary clip from the Bill O'Reilly show on Fox has been circulating on YouTube for the past year and a half, under the title "George Tiller -- Murdering for Cash:



Any time a fourteen year old child finds herself in this situation, it is a tragedy. But to use this tragedy either to advance a political agenda, as O'Reilly is clearly doing or as an excuse for murder is simply evil.

In his speech at Notre Dame two weeks ago, Barack Obama stressed both the difficult nature of the abortion question and the intractability of the debate. But he stressed the necessity of civility and tolerance in working toward a resolution of this incredibly difficult issue.

As followers of Christ we can never condone violence such as this -- not for any reason. And we know that to incite violence or to wish it is the same as committing it. As Obama noted, there is so much that we can do for women like this young woman, who find themselves pregnant. If we want to reduce or end abortion, we must provide genuine and supportive alternatives.