"Assassination of Dr Tiller" - msnbc RM Show 9pm edt

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

fyi

[malaise]

1. K & R n/t

[spanone]

2. k&r

[madmax]

3. This is some scary

shit. I didn't know how openly they were gunning for him. WTF Why wasn't he protected by law enforcement. It was only a matter of time.

[TheWraith]

13. Unfortunately, even when the police want to help, there's a limited amount they can do.

They can't assign a police officer to every high profile target, 24/7. Restraining orders are useless. And unless you know exactly when and if an attack is going to happen, guarding against it is difficult, and can curtail the "real life" of the protectee.

Short of Secret Service style protection, make no mistake--a dedicated and knowledgeable person who wants to commit murder WILL succeed.

[madmax]

14. Of course, you're right

just seems so futile and yet Dr. Tiller continued to do what he felt was right knowing that he was wearing a target.

I would buy a gun but, no need. I'm not as brave as Dr. Tiller nor do I have the moral courage to die for something I believe in - I'm weak.

[TheWraith]

15. There's nothing wrong with self defense. You don't need to be doing what Tiller did to be a target.

The people who went to the Unitarian Church in Tennessee didn't think they were doing anything risky.

The guard who opened the door at the Holocaust Museum didn't think he was doing anything risky.

The people who went to work every day at the Tides Center didn't think they were doing anything risky.

Not paying attention to self defense because you're not doing anything risky is like not bothering to have a fire extinguisher because you're not playing with fire in your living room. You can still be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and sometimes just being a Democrat, or a liberal, or speaking your opinions is enough. Tonight I counter-demonstrated against angry teabaggers who were supporting Carl Paladino. Previously I've co-signed public letters attacking bigotry against Muslims. I've argued immigration with blatant, in your face racists. And it only takes one kook to take a shine to you to make your life very difficult. Those and other reasons are among why I have a 12 gauge shotgun hanging on the wall a few feet away from me right now. You don't have to be Tiller, or paranoid, or let it take over your life in order to take reasonable precautions to insure that you continue to have a life.

[madmax]

16. You made excellent points

The fire extinguisher analogy - spot on.

Thinking about your post I've been harassed over a damn bumper sticker! Who knows if some deranged person would either use their car or pull out a gun to harm me. Incidents happen over trivial b.s. someone with mis-guided but, firece views such as Dr. Tiller's murderer - take it to another level.

Eye opener, thanks.

[frogmarch]

4. K&R

[Johonny]

5. wow the protesters are delusionally scary

you'd think for the amount of time and $$ they could have produced actual meaningful change that might reduce the need of abortion, from realistic family planning, realistic sex education, realistic financial aid and adoption aid etc. Instead they put all their time and energy into unrealistic views of what goes on inside and just general meanness. This isn't about babies, it's about making $ and fame funneling disillusioned peoples hate. It is so ugly.

[Withywindle]

6. And in the case of late-term abortion, even those things won't make much difference.

Most 3rd trimester abortions happen when a woman learns that her fetus has no chance of survival, or of meaningful quality of life and/or is likely to kill her. Most of these cases involved babies that were WANTED, and are experienced as horrible tragedies for everyone concerned. But it is often necessary to prevent even worse suffering or to save a life. A knowledgeable, compassionate doctor can make a huge difference here. Screaming, bloody-fetus-picture-waving ignorant assholes are rubbing acid in a wound.

[Johonny]

8. I agree

Their stance does nothing for these people. They have such energy on this issue, yet do nothing productive with it, when productive things could be done. Of course people like the 700 club and Bill O'liely won't get rich rechanneling peoples hate that way.

[TheWraith]

10. It's why the Republicans never ever want to touch Roe vs. Wade.

It's not an issue to them--it's a tool to channel the psychosis of a certain segment of the population into electing Republican candidates.

[madmax]

12. Have heard that said many times

It's their sacred chestnut that they pull out of the fire at every opportunity. Most certainly is a useful too for a certain segment of their useful idiots. I believe it.

[UTUSN]

7. K&R #7 n/t

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

9. Sad story. At least Roeder will die in a cage..

[Archae]

11. I couldn't watch it.

To see these terrorists, (and that is all they are,) glorifing themselves and the people who have destroyed, murdered, maimed, is just too disturbing for me.