(no subject)

[rozk]

Gakked from tsubaki_ny this piece from Rolling Stone documents the tactics being used by Operation Rescue against Tiller's clinic and its staff. Tiller's killer was part of this sub-culture; what worries me, though, is that I can imagine similar tactics being used by anti-abortion fanatics in this country as well as in the US. My admiration for people who stand up to this sort of bullying knows no bounds.

Some while ago, I had a row with some of my animal rights supporting friends and said that the tactics they approve of against fox-hunters or vivisectionists could be turned against minorities or pro-choice forces any time. I fear I was right - Operation Rescue have moved on from picketing clinics.

Comments

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

How is that behaviour not illegal? Surely it is criminal harassment?

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

That's one of the reasons (the many reasons) I am so profoundly grateful that we have gun control here.

[girfan.livejournal.com]

A (male) friend of mine would volunteer to be "muscle" at a Washington DC abortion clinic. He would escort women through the gauntlet of anti-abortionists, sometimes taking the blows and spit of the protesters so the women would feel safer.

I think all protesters are scum (I once had a confrontation just for parking near a clinic though I was going elsewhere-unpleasant asshats!).

[redbird]

This is, alas, not new, though your friends may not have been aware of it: but at least in the U.S., the press doesn't report anti-choice terrorism as terrorism, because it's being done by, not against, white Christian men. This means the patterns aren't pointed out in the ordinary news stories. The papers quote the anti-choice people as saying they are "worried about a backlash" after this, but don't mention the years of right-wing incitement to murder, against which a backlash is long overdue.

[feorag.livejournal.com]

I would like to point out as Official Parish Bunny Hugger that, along with the vast majority of people concerned with animal rights and welfare, I regard human as being animals too, and that violence cannot ever be justified (except maybe in genuine self-defence).

[hamsterine.livejournal.com]

"outing" people is an interesting tactic,and I'm not sure I disapprove of it at all. It is nonviolent, and does not even threaten violence, so in that sense I don't instantly think "this is going too far" like some of the protests I see.

People who kill for a living DO have a case to answer. If someone is not ashamed of what they do then they can stand up and say so. Being able to keep a low profile and maintain the respect of those who would dispise them if they knew actually seems dishonest and reprehensible to me, and I'd be glad if this was never an option.

[paulathomas.livejournal.com]

Religious fanatics always horrify me. Anyone who is that certain about anything is dangerous.