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May 31, 2009

All in the Service of Evil

Justin Katz

Only evil was served by the killing of abortionist George Tiller. Just as one can imagine the phrases by which Satan guided Tiller to see his barbarous work as righteous, one can imagine the whispers that brought the killer to Tiller's church — leading him perhaps to see as poetry a setting that should have resonated as blunt screams to stop.

Just so will the evil perpetuate itself. Some will find in this atrocity justification for restricting the rights of we who strenuously oppose abortion, and in the current political climate, they may achieve no small portion of their goals. In turn, frustration and complex feelings of persecution will escalate in opposition. Where will it stop? Well, where does it ever? Now, never, or somewhere in between.

With the simple, psychotic act of one man's murder, our society comes to another precipice, and when Americans inclined toward prayer have offered ours for Mr. Tiller and his family and have spared a word for the dementia-strangled soul of his murderer, we should turn our hopes toward a miracle of temperament. We should pray that from this horrible catalyst will emerge a fuller appreciation for the value of human life and for the civic structures and rights that enable us to resolve issues of cosmic consequence without violence.

Comments

The murder is bad enough. The fact that it happened in a church puts it over the top, since we can't feel safe in even a house of worship.

Posted by: rhody at May 31, 2009 9:36 PM

I'm not sure that's a rational response to this particular incident, Rhody, given the multiple shootings in churches over the past few years (all of which have yet to produce explanations of motive, from what I've seen).

Sadly, awe of holy places has been on the wane in our culture, but the apparently targeted nature of this murder makes far from the most frightening example.

Posted by: Justin Katz at May 31, 2009 9:53 PM

I think church shootings occur because the shooter knows where people he has a beef with will be,and when.Nothing more,nothing less.The occasional oddball might be trying to make some weird spiritual statement,but the truth is usually more prosaic.
Whoever shot this abortionist only managed to potentially create a martyr for those who support abortion.
He didn't save any lives of the unborn because only too many are ready to take Tiller's place.
In this day of effective birth control why abortion for convenience is needed is beyond me.

Posted by: joe bernstein at May 31, 2009 10:17 PM

Most people are too immature to own anything that can spit death,on command.
Even voting and auto ownership are beyond the maturity level of most people
let alone an AK-47.
The fact that this happened in Kansas where anyone can buy guns at a gun show
with NO BACKGROUND CHECK is more tragic

Posted by: jacob at May 31, 2009 11:13 PM

I wondered how long it would take the anti-gun crowd to start their tired routine over this,Apparently not long.Maybe you'd feel safer in a nice,controlled society Jacob.Most Americans wouldn't.
You are swimming against the tide with the gun control crap.This post of yours might raise some eyebrows at RI Future,and even there not everyone is a gun control robot.
The UK outlawed guns,Jacob.I suggest you take a stroll through Glasgow or some other choice areas to see how that eliminated violent crime.

Posted by: joe bernstein at June 1, 2009 5:00 AM

Evil on evil crime. Weep not!

jacob, let's put the weapon of choice here in another light. A gun would be a humane instrument for the likes of Tiller and his ilk when performing their late term murders. Would not a bullet to the brain of a baby be far more humane than dismembering/lobotomizing that small and defenseless infant? Truly amazing how you are so bothered by the use of a gun in this crime when considering Tiller's barbaric instruments of death. Learn to think for yourself jacob.

Posted by: Tim at June 1, 2009 7:35 AM

Tim-Jacob sounds kind of arrogant-letting us know that so many people haven't the maturity to vote,drive,or certainly not to own firearms.
I'm sure he thinks he is more tahn mature enough.This elitist mentality permeates the left in this country.It is not necessarily an elitism of wealth,but of "intellectual" snobbery.

Posted by: joe bernstein at June 1, 2009 9:40 AM

Joe I said MOST people (that could include me,right!)

Joe the murder rate in Scotland is 1/2 of here in in the USA

I am 100% pro-life, 100% unlike the right-wingnuts,who approve of droping bombs on children in Iraq and Vietnam,
The same right-wingnuts who celebrated the murders of Harvey Milk and Matthew
Shepard.The right-wingnuts who celebrated last year when a right-wing nut opened fire, in a church full of liberals,or when right wing hero,Eric R
Rudolf bombed a gay bar
The same folks who make sure any NUT can buy a gun at a gunshow
99.9% OF ABORTIONS ARE MURDER !

Posted by: Jacob at June 1, 2009 4:00 PM

Jacob-read what I say,not what you think I say.Scotland has a lot of violent crime,and violent crime has increased in the UK since the gun ban.Most violent crime in the UK never involved guns.Murder rate?i didn't mention that.
What I do know is that in states like VT,NH,ME, for instance crime is low,murder rates are low,and gun laws are lax to practically non-existent.Explain that.
The ACLU made sure that violence prone mental patients like the VA Tech killer were under the radar on background checks.That individual should never have been able to purchase a firearm.I do think that convicted felons,seriously psychotic people,and illegal aliens shouldn't have access to firearms.I had to carry a firearm most of my adult life so to me it's like carrying an implement,no more,no less.
Common sense is the best gun law.
There are no left wing bombers or terrorists,are there?
At least we agree on abortion as a convenience-we don't have the right to summarily cancel someone's entire life in advance while we agonize over whether the most heinous killers should be executed.Sometimes I think this world makes no sense at all.
BTW I don't know who in their right mind APPROVES of dropping bombs on children,but the number of lunatics among us is significant.

Posted by: joe bernstein at June 1, 2009 5:40 PM