Dr. George Tiller's family announced Tuesday that they will permanently close the Women's Health Care Services Inc. The clinic was one of a few in the country that performed late-term abortions, and women from all over the country and world would go there for Dr. Tiller's help. The New York Times reported Tuesday that abortion rights advocates hoped the clinic would remain open and continue to provide late-term abortions, but expressed empathy for the Tiller family's decisions. According to NYT, the family was also the target of protests, attacks and criticism for the past 30 years.
Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights told NYT:
"It is unacceptable that anti-abortion intimidation and violence has led to the closing of Dr. Tiller's clinic...Not only have we lost a fearless defender of women's fundamental health and rights in Dr. Tiller's murder, but the closing of his clinic leaves an immediate and immense void in the availability of abortion."
Scott Roeder, anti-abortion advocate, is being held in a Wichita jail for Tiller's murder.
A CNN
reporter was able to get the first interview with Scott Roeder, who is
being held in a Wichita jail for the murder of Dr. Tiller.
In the jailhouse interview Tuesday, Mr. Roeder told Ted Rowlands from CNN that he had received letters of encouragement, and described the closing of the clinic as "a victory for all of the unborn children."
Where do the anti-abortion activitists go now?After 35 years of protests, legislation and harassment, the focus of the anti-abortion movement , Dr. Tiller's clinic, has permanently shut its doors. After Tiller was murdered by a pro-life advocate, his family announced Tuesday they will stop operation of Women's Health Care Services Inc. in Wichita, Kansas.
Operation Rescue, which moved its national headquarters to Wichita from Southern California, told Associated Press it has no plans to relocate.
Operation Rescue has made Tiller's clinic the center of their fight.
The Associate Press article says:
For now, Operation Rescue has no plans to leave Wichita and the group's leader, Troy Newman, called the family's decision to close the clinic "bittersweet." He said his group wants to close abortion clinics but, "I want to see them close through peaceful, legal nonviolent means."
Tiller's clinic had long served as a rally point for abortion opponents. Most protests were peaceful, but his clinic was bombed in 1986 and he was shot in both arms in 1993. In 1991, a 45-day "Summer of Mercy" campaign organized by Operation Rescue drew thousands of abortion opponents to Wichita and there were more than 2,700 arrests.
Tiller's clinic was one of a handful of clinics across the country that perform third-term abortions. Kansas state law allows abortions on viable fetuses after the 21st week only if carrying the pregnancy to term would endanger the mother's life or cause a "substantial and irreversible impairment" of a major bodily function. Courts have interpreted a "major bodily function" to include mental health.
The Tiller family's decision to close the clinic has met criticism and praise from pro-choice and pro-life supporters. Pro-choice advocates worry late-term abortions will be less accessible for women, but pro-lifers said the clinic will be remembered the same way as Auschwitz and Pearl Harbor, according to the Associated Press.
Sotomayor's support of abortion rights
The Washington Times is criticizing Sotomayor's history of supporting abortion rights, and claims conservatives should not guess that she is pro-life. The Times said in the past, Sotomayor was affiliated with the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, which submitted six court briefs in support of abortion rights.
According to the Editorial,
The cases began with an abortion-funding case, Williams v. Zbaraz, just as she joined the board, and they continued through the landmark cases of Rust v. Sullivan, Webster v. Reproductive Health Services, and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Especially in the Webster case, in which all nine justices joined at least part of the decision saying that states need not provide public funds for abortions, the fund supported positions far more pro-abortion than the court itself did. Also, in the case Ohio v. Akron Center, the fund wrote that it "opposes any efforts to overturn or in any way restrict the rights recognized in Roe v. Wade."
The Editorial argues that while Sotomayor is not avowedly pro-choice, her past does not suggest she opposes abortion rights.
OTHER NEWS TO NOTE:
June 10: Christian NewsWire: First
Major Pro-Life Prayer-&-Picket Event Since Tiller Death will Focus
on NEA Teacher Union Convention in San Diego & NEA State HQs Across
America on July 2
June 9: Enid News: Local woman formerly worked for slain Kansas abortion doctor
June 10: Washington Times: EDITORIAL: Sotomayor's abortion ties
June 9: TaxGirl: Ask the taxgirl: Birth Control Costs
June 8: Empowerher:"Natural" Birth Control Pill Available in Europe
June 8: E magazine: Earth Talk: Mattresses? Birth Control?
June 7: TaxLawyers Blog: Tiller's Killer also a Tax Protester
June 7: CPCB News: Prelate warns flock on ‘scare tactics' on overpopulation
June 9: Inquistir: BREAKING: CNN gets first interview with anti-abortion killer of Dr. Tiller [VIDEO]
June 9: Colorado Independent: Boulder abortion provider deplores decision to close Tiller's Kansas clinic
June 9: Glamour:True Health Confession: "I Had an Abortion in My Second Trimester"
June 9: LA Times: 'Abortion fatigue' on both sides as Kansas clinic closes
June 8: Anglicans United: Moral Reasoning in Light of Wichita
June 9: Lifesitenews: Commentary: ALL President Responds to Critics of "The Pill Kills" Events
June 6: Visinvox Blog: I am Pro-Stuff
June 5: Billboard: Keynote Dissects Bayer-Veronicas Partnership
June 4: Reuters: Pre-conception diabetes control important
June 3: Chicago Tribune: When women obsess about weight during pregnancy
June 8: Christian Science Monitor: Peaceful abortion dialogue is shaky but real
June 10: KCPW: Legislature Will Take Up Contraception Bill Again
June 10: Brand Republic: Bayer promotes contraceptive pill online
June 9: Kansas City Star:Murderer stopped Tiller, but abortions will continue
June 9: Fox News: Is There a Double Standard for Presidents Talking About Their Faith?
June 9: AP: Clinic closing a tainted victory for abortion foes
June 9: LifeNews: More Pro-Life Groups Want House to Reject President
Obama's Intl Abortion Agenda
http://www.lifenews.com/int1228.html
June 9: LifeNews: First Poll With Abortion Question Following Tiller Shooting Shows Little Change
June 9: Catholic Online: The Pill's Breast Cancer Troubles Drive Couples to Natural Family Planning
June 9: BeliefNet: Douthat's abortion distinctions
June 9: Catholic News Agency: Archdiocese reviewing Catholic network's alleged role in providing abortions
June 9: Beyond Chron: Will Killing Abortion Doctors Kill Abortion?
June 8: Jezebel: Medical Students For Choice Keep Tiller's Memory, Mission Alive
June 9: Bangor Daily News: Recenter abortion debate on equality of sacrifice
June 8: All Africa: Uganda: Unplanned Pregnancies on the Rise
June 9: Daily Sound: Abortion is pro-life
June 9: Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette: Many pro-choice people silent while anti-abortionists rant
