Life Links 6/2/09

William Saletan rather thoughtlessly attempts to argue that it makes sense for prolifers to kill abortionists.

I applaud these statements. They affirm the value of life and nonviolence, two principles that should unite us. But they don't square with what these organizations purport to espouse: a strict moral equation between the unborn and the born.

Yes, they do. If it is wrong to kill unborn humans because they have inherent worth and intrinsic value, then it is also wrong to kill born humans (including George Tiller and other abortionists) because they have the same inherent worth and intrinsic value.

If a doctor in Kansas were butchering hundreds of old or disabled people, and legal authorities failed to intervene, I doubt most members of the National Right to Life Committee would stand by waiting for "educational and legislative activities" to stop him. Somebody would use force.

Well, there was that case not so many years ago of a deranged man who killed and assisted in the suicides of more than a hundred people in Michigan. Most of people weren't terminally ill and some of them weren't even sick. They were often found dead in hotel rooms or delivered by van to hospitals. The ghoulish individual even removed organs from at least one victim. For years authorities failed to intervene and failed to convict more than a couple times when they did intervene. Yet no members of the National Right to Life Committee attempted to use force or violence to stop Jack Kevorkian.


USA Today has an article which provides more details on Scott Roeder, George Tiller's alleged murderer.

Scott Roeder called himself a citizen of the Republic of Kansas who didn't want to pay income or Social Security taxes or register his car. In the 1990s, he belonged to a group that said its members were not subject to federal or state laws.

His brother, David, said in a written statement that Roeder has a history of mental illness. His ex-wife said in an interview that his views led to the breakup of their 10-year marriage.

A local NBC station has a few more details from Roeder's ex-wife and his mug shot from 1998.


Americans United for Life has hired prolife blogger Dawn Eden.