Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Dr. Carhart fights back

Dr. LeRoy Carhart, a late abortion provider and a colleague of Dr. George Tiller, posted a compelling call to action on the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice website. Carhart has twice brought cases before the Supreme Court, challenging the late abortion laws in Nebraska. The cases are Stenberg v. Carhart (2000) and Gonzales v. Carhart (2007).

Statement of Dr. LeRoy Carhart

Dr. Carhart is a member of the RCRC Board of Directors

Dr. CarhartWith the senseless murder of Dr. George Tiller, we have lost a champion of women’s rights, a talented caring physician, a devoted Christian, a loving husband, a father of four, a grandfather of eight and one of my family’s best friends.

1. I cannot and am not here to speak for “Womens Health Care Services” or “Dr G.R. Tiller, P.A.” These are individual corporate entities that are owned by the Tiller family and their spokesperson is attorney Dan Monnat of Wichita, KS.

I am here to speak for the Doctors: Shelly Sella, Susan Robinson and myself to reassure the women of the United States, and the rest of the world, that those in need of abortion through the advanced stages of pregnancy will continue to be able to receive the same safe, legal care based upon TEAM TILLER’s concept of “Kindness, Courtesy, Justice, Love and Respect” that they so deeply deserve.

We along with the staff of TEAM TILLER are committed to providing the same care we have been providing for the past 4 years. Dr. Tiller believed and has taught each of our team that “Abortion is not a cerebral or a reproductive issue. Abortion is a matter of the heart: for until one understands the heart of a women, nothing else about abortion makes any sense at all.”

2. It is time to condemn those who commit violent acts against abortion providers, and those who support and incite these violent acts, the radical religious right fundamentalist terrorists, as domestic terrorists. It is time to demand that these activities be added to the list of hate crimes, and that the perpetrators be prosecuted for hate crimes.

a. Is it any different to plant white crosses in front of a clinic or a clinic workers residence than it is to place one in the front yard of a minority member?

b. Is it any different to call a clinic worker a “murderer” or to use other slur words than it is to bully a child because he’s different, or to shout racial slurs at an individual because of their race or sexual orientation?

c. Is it any different to invade a house of God and murder a worshiper because of his religious beliefs than it is to drag someone from their home in the middle of the night and murder them by lynching because of the color of their skin?

The threat implied by these acts and the fear they cause is equal to similar hate crimes carried out based on race, ethnicity or sexual orientation. Abortion militants deserve the same condemnation and punishment.

To support abortion is a moral choice, to support abortion is a religious choice, to support abortion is a legal choice. To use violent means in order to deny anyone this right goes against the core values that America stands for.

Why do you allow these terrorists that dedicate their lives to deny rights, and that support murder of physicians and medical workers, the right to be identified as “pro-life”. They are certainly not.

3. It is time to chastise and, if necessary, replace local, city and state legislators that openly support hate crimes and terrorists. Every time a member of a government agency, looks the other way when any “illegal” activity is reported, they enable, perhaps even encourage the escalation of, further illegal activity.

There is a difference between “freedom of speech” and bullying and harassment. There is a difference between civil disobedience and terrorism. There is a difference between protesting and forced invasions.

In the past 22 years in Nebraska over 80,000 women have chosen abortion when faced with an unwanted pregnancy. Since Roe v Wade over 46 million American women have chosen abortion. Virtually every one comes with one or more supporters of their choice.

It is time for these women to come forward and demand that their elected officials enforce the laws on the books that protect us all from hate crimes, and if these officials don’t openly respect your rights to choose abortion, you have the power to vote them out of office.

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