Federal response to Dr. Tiller's assassination

President Obama's lukewarm statement on Tiller's murder:

"I am shocked and outraged by the murder of Dr. George Tiller as he attended church services this morning. However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence."

We're disappointed the president made no mention of law enforcement or justice in this matter. Condemning violence is a good start, but we were looking for real leadership.

However, we are optimistic President Obama's support is more behind-the-scenes. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is devoting Department of Justice resources toward protecting abortion providers. Statement from Holder:

"The murder of Doctor George Tiller is an abhorrent act of violence, and his family is in our thoughts and prayers at this tragic moment. Federal law enforcement is coordinating with local law enforcement officials in Kansas on the investigation of this crime, and I have directed the United States Marshals Service to offer protection to other appropriate people and facilities around the nation.

"The Department of Justice will work to bring the perpetrator of this crime to justice. As a precautionary measure, we will also take appropriate steps to help prevent any related acts of violence from occurring."

Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was similarly sympathetic. As the Kansas governor, she had worked with Dr. Tiller and was supportive of his work. Her statement (see pg. 4 of WaPo story):

"This is sad and shocking news. My prayers go out to the Tiller family and to the members of his church who witnessed this terrible crime."

If you want to send your condolences and support to Dr. Tiller's family and clinic, use this page and FMF can forward your remarks.

Our thoughts are with his family. We remain grateful to the doctors and their staffs who provide abortion services, and to the volunteers, politicians, and organizations that continue working to protect choice.

Clinic violence is not new, and if we do not organize to protect choice, it may continue. To learn more about recent and past clinic terrorism across the country, browse the data we've collected from clinics since 1993. The most recent survey results were released in February, and you can see that and past surveys on our National Clinic Access Project site.

Dr. Tiller's assassination is the reason our work is still, now more than ever, so important. If you and I do not keep agitating for reproductive freedom, we will lose it.

P.S. We welcome thoughtful, respectful comments and e-mails. If you are condoning clinic violence, post those thoughts on your own blog, not ours. Thanks.

Murder of Dr. George Tiller – Statement of Eleanor Smeal, President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 31, 2009
Contact: Alice Cohan 703-522-2214 | Susie Gilligan 310-556-2500

Murder of Dr. George Tiller – Statement of Eleanor Smeal, President

The Feminist Majority Foundation is deeply saddened and outraged by the assassination of Dr. George Tiller at his church in Wichita, Kansas, this morning. We have worked closely with Dr. Tiller for many years in the hopes of preventing such a tragedy.

The tragic news of his murder, unfortunately, does not come as a complete surprise. Dr. Tiller has long been the target of anti-abortion extremists, surviving a previous assassination attempt in 1994 by an Army of God follower.

Dr. Tiller, who I knew for more than twenty years, was an extraordinarily courageous and dedicated women's health physician. Dr. Tiller was fully aware of the danger he faced, but was determined to ensure that women nationwide with troubled pregnancies had access to the best medical care that could be provided. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and his dedicated clinic staff and medical personnel.

Dr. Tiller’s murder is not an isolated event. Dr. Tiller was harassed, threatened, shot five times (in 1994), his clinic was bombed in 1986, and most recently this month was maliciously damaged by anti-abortion extremists. We are concerned about the safety and lives of other dedicated personnel and doctors—not only in Kansas, but several other states. The Feminist Majority Foundation is working with clinics and law enforcement to ensure the security of reproductive healthcare physicians and staff during this period of heightened concern.

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Since 1989, the Feminist Majority Foundation has run the National Clinic Access Project (NCAP), the nation’s oldest and largest clinic defense program. NCAP works with local law enforcement to ensure safe access to women’s reproductive health clinics, to increase safety for women’s healthcare workers and physicians, and to bring perpetrators of anti-abortion violence to justice.

Press Release here: http://www.feminist.org/pdfs/Tiller%20Press%20Release%205-31-09.pdf