Palin on George Tiller's Death

Gov. Sarah Palin today issued the following statement on the death of Dr. George Tiller, a doctor reportedly involved in 60,000 abortions over his career:

Governor Palin's Statement Sunday on George Tiller

"I feel sorrow for the Tiller family. I respect the sanctity of life, and the tragedy that took place today in Kansas clearly violates respect for life. This murder also damages the positive message of life, for the unborn, and for those living.

Ask yourself, 'What will those who have not yet decided personally where they stand on this issue take away from today's event in Kansas?' Regardless of my strong objection to Dr. Tiller's abortion practices, violence is never an answer in advancing the pro-life message."

Governor Sarah Palin

In the next day or two, I'll have more to say about the death of George Tiller, known in the pro-life community as "Tiller the Baby Killer." Much as I admire Gov. Palin, her statement is somehow less than fully satisfying. There is no evidence that Tiller shared Sarah Palin's respect for life.

We have seen societies, ancient and modern, where there has been less than minimal respect for life. They include places like fascist German, Stalin's Soviet Union, Khmer Rouge Cambodia, Rwanda, and Darfur. They end up as countries that are reminiscent of Thomas Hobbes's "state of nature, " where life becomes "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish . . . and short."

Comment Below from a Friend in the Pacific Northwest . . .

"My first reaction, honestly, wasn't Tiller was shot?!? . . . but Tiller was in CHURCH?!?

"I think in some efforts to be everything to everyone, many Christians, including those with real faith and good intentions, have forgotten to show courage and 'stand up for what is right, even when they're standing alone.'"

My comment on her comment:

"On Dr. Tiller's passing, I can't exactly say I'm shedding any tears. I believe late-term abortions are murder, destruction of the innocent; I believe the shooting of Tiller was a killing, but not a murder. There was nothing "innocent" about the man. Why exactly would his life be worth more than the ones he destroyed?"

A friend from Hawaii comments on Tiller's death . . .

- I've been thinking about this quite a bit since it happened. I also abhor murder (unless one is defending oneself), yet I can't help but think of the countless babies who will be saved because of this one death. It's similar to the old argument about Hitler: if he had been killed before he gained so much power, think of all the innocent lives that would have been saved. On another note, since I've become rather cynical since O[bama] was elected I always think of the "ripple effects" from such events. In this regard, I'm wondering how this will affect the Sotomayor hearings & confirmation process. Will the committee shy away from asking about her position on abortion? We'll see.....

Yet another friend weighs in on Tiller and his Killer . . .

I uphold the Rule of Law when I support trying to get this sort of doctor LEGALLY, not by killing him myself, or joining an organized modern-day “posse” to do so. (Not that you’re advocating either measure….)

Civilizations can’t exist if people are allowed to kill others when they disagree with the state----unless the State Itself is evil (the Third Reich), in which case other measures are understandable (cum Dietrich Bonhoeffer).

I agree that late-term abortion is warranted medically only VERY, VERY rarely, and otherwise it’s like most abortions: murder. BUT, we don’t VALUE LIFE if we take life ourselves illegally and unethically----which is what this killing was, imo.