The very real anti-choice terrorist threat

There has been some debate in the wake of the Tiller assassination about free speech, and many are questioning whether the murderer was acting as a "lone wolf" or as a member of a larger terrorist network.

On The Rachel Maddow Show last week, GW constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley argued that Scott Roeder is not a terrorist but rather one crazy guy "at war with the world."



I strongly disagree with Turley's assessment of the situation. Roeder is not a loner, but an active member of the anti-choice movement. People underestimate the sophistication of the anti-choicers, evidenced by this astounding manual Amanda Marcotte of RH Reality Check brought to light last week. While four bumbling ex-cons who can't even tell they bought fake bombs are given the "terrorist" label (a categorization with which I agree) quickly and without question by law enforcement and the media, there is resistance to acknowledging the very real threat of the anti-choice movement.

Anti-choice groups have realized that the right to choose is constitutionally sound and that it is difficult to overturn Roe v. Wade through legal means, as they have been trying to do for thirty-six years. Instead, they use terror to scare abortion providers and limit the procedure's availability to women. The news has reminded us time and time again this past week that Dr. Tiller was one of the few physicians in the country who performed late abortions. The implication is that low number is due to a moral choice, when in reality so few doctors are willing to put themselves in that risky position, a choice for which I do not blame them. Dr. Tiller faced an assassination attempt in the 90s, multiple threats against himself, his family, and staff, acts of vandalism at his clinic, and millions of dollars in legal fees before his tragic murder. Those working against him were not exercising their right to free speech--they were terrorizing him, his loved ones, staff, and the women he helped everyday.

We are not dealing with people carrying a couple of "choose life" placards and rosary beads. This article from the New York Times describes the typical scene at Dr. Tiller's clinic:

"trucks bearing enormous images of bloody fetuses, the signs offering the home addresses of clinic workers, the crowd of protesters yelling to women as they enter."

They are all gone now, as the clinic remains shuttered, its future uncertain. Sadly, the future of the thousands of women Dr. Tiller served is also uncertain. They are the other victims of this terrorist act.