Debating the Murder of Late-Term Abortion Doctor George Tiller, GM's Bankruptcy
Our daily look at stories and topics that are lighting up the Internets:
The Death of George Tiller
Reports the N.Y. Daily News: "One of the nation's most controversial abortion doctors was gunned down Sunday in his Kansas church as he handed out programs for Sunday services." Tiller was one of three doctors in the U.S. who performed late-term abortions. Karen Tumulty gives the background to this story. Predictably, Tiller's murder is sparking debate and name-calling that's unusual (for the blogosphere). So let's get to it. First up: reactions from the left. Liberal Bonnie Erbe touches on two common themes, the first being downright shock and anger at the murder. The second theme accuses Tiller's killer and the pro-lifers whose rhetoric targeted the doctor of being domestic terrorists. In terms of incitement, many hands are pointing at Bill O'Reilly (video), who will address his critics tonight. Monika Bauerlein worries for the sake of women there's no one left to replace Tiller. Greg Sargent thinks the incident will help push the Sotomayor nomination along. Steve Benen thinks the killing is pretty clearly an act of terrorism. Andrew Sullivan agrees, writing: "The fusion of religion with politics is a dangerous, dangerous thing." In another post, he calls on the very conservative Michelle Malkin to clarify her thoughts on the matter.
The Right Reacts to Tiller's Death
A la Amy Sullivan: two sympathetic pro-life reactions to the death, and one not-so-sympathetic. A critic of Tiller defends himself: "Your reasoning suggests that we should not say the truth... If you want to blame someone for this, blame Moses. Moses said, 'Thou shall not kill.' What you're asking for is surrender and we will not do that." Conservative Dan McLaughlin responds to liberal reaction to the murder. "Even before anything was known about Roeder"—Tiller's alleged killer—"the left side of the blogosphere reacted to Dr. Tiller's murder as if it was Christmas morning and they just got a pony," he writes. Later, McLaughlin connects liberal outrage at the event to the lack thereof at Bill Ayers: "Now perhaps the people looking to make political hay over Roeder will extend some of their outrage to Bill Ayers' benefactor in the White House." His full post is available here. Conservative Kathryn Jean Lopez highlights one remark among many from the Internet's "wild forest of ridiculous comments about George Tiller's murder."
The Bankruptcy of GM
Swaraaj Chauhan gives us a little bit of history and a little bit of news on GM and today's bankruptcy filing. Barrett Sheridan explains why this isn't too big a deal for the broader economy. Conservative Iain Murray blames GM's luck on big government and big unions: "As for making cars Americans wouldn't buy, what they did was build cars that Americans would buy, but were forced by government to make other cars as well that Americans did not prefer to those of their competitors." Liberal Mickey Kaus thinks the government's $50 billion investment in GM is only just the beginning. Mary Kate Cary agrees. Marc Ambinder thinks opponents of bailouts need to settle down. Full text of this morning's speech by Obama available here. And Rosabeth Moss Kanter wishes she didn't have to own GM stock (as a taxpayer).
...Meanwhile...
Sarah Palin reveals the Middle Eastern location where Stephen Colbert was supposed to be secretly heading... Obama hits the Big Apple for date night with Michelle... Sasha Baron Cohen lands his crotch directly into an angry Eminem's face (video)... And the best of Late Night with Conan O'Brien (video).
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Reader Comments
Murder of Late-Term Abortion Doctor George Tiller
Right to Life people have no concept of problems that create the need for late term abortions. I worked in a state for years to give men and women the right to have the sterilization procedures and even the information of where they could go to get this information. The right for citizens to get accurate birth control information and the right to have legal abortions in the 1st trimester. These are needs that today we take for granted, but it wasn't to long ago when states prevented these things. I was very relieved when Roe vs Wade was made law.
Medical science has given us an intellectual insight into all of this and in my opinion when I ran into circumstances where a 12 or 13 yr. old child had been raped most of her life by drunken fathers, brothers or uncles and no one notices or cares until the swollen belly is obvious and you have seen the results of defective children with horrible disabilities, should we punishing or kill a doctor doing the procedure that can prevent all of these terrible, overwhelming affects?
Every one I know that has ever had an abortion, even in the 1st trimester, lives with this forever. We must in our society work to prevent abortion. Work to help every couple to create a human being that they will make every effort to raise and nurture that child with love and a safe environment, including an education that he/she will become the best he or she can be.
I am against raising wonderful children and sending them off to wars to be killed, too. We have got to do better, we have got to work together and make the world and all its people have the rights we have in our country and make sure we don't lose what we have so painfully learned from our past oppressing laws. Women have rights over what happens to there bodies, couples have rights to determine & control through safe birth control methods, how many children they can raise to be successful human being and our children should have all the facts of procreation at puberty and the many ways to prevent pregnancy and why.
One more thing: All children should learn from the cradle up what is appropriate touching of their bodies and what is inappropriate. We should make sure that no child must go through this kind of abuse no matter where in the world he or she lives.
Murder of Late-Term Abortion Doctor George Tiller
Bottom line; Tiller was a killer. You live by the “sword” you die by the “sword.”
I have no sympathy for money grubbing doctors acting like they are doing something good for people (women) but they are no better than a televangelist ripping off widows and orphans for their last cent!
“Pro choice/death” people are such hypocrites – never seeing the forest because of the tree of their selfishness. Never shedding a tear for the children torn to shreds by this man’s seared conscience.
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