Belief in the face of violence

Put be in coach, I'm good
    By Sarah Holley

America, the land of the free. I can be what I want without having to worry about my beliefs putting me in danger of being lynched by a Klansman or offed by a Nazi soldier. Or can I?

Maybe I should ask Lynne Slepian this question. On Fri., Oct. 23, she was in her kitchen with her husband, Dr. Barnett Slepian, when she heard a loud pop from the gunfire of a sniper, and what Lynne witnessed was the end of her husband's life. The reason: Slepian was an obstetrician who legally performed abortions at the Buffalo GYN Women service clinic. In the mind of at least one anti-abortion activist, that meant that he should die.

Most all Americans are aware of the pro-life vs. pro-choice conflict of which nearly all Americans are aware, but not everyone realizes the extent to which the battle has escalated. Marches, protests, blocking of access to clinics, and harassment of those entering the clinics are just the start. In the past two decades, there have been over 30 bombings and over 100 arson attacks on facilities that provide abortions, and at least seven shooting deaths of abortion providers.

The radical activists who have taken up the anti-abortion cause may not wear white hoods or brandish swastikas on their sleeves, but with their practice of terror and violence, they might as well. They see themselves as engaged in a literal war with the pro-choice world. Some of them engage in martial activities, from the stockpiling of supplies to training in operations, reconnaissance, and intelligence—gathering that details the lives and schedules of abortion providers.

This kind of targeting of abortion providers continues to increase in frequency. Among the weapons is a website named "The Nuremberg Files" (www.best-choice.com/atrocity/aborts.html), created by a group called "The Creator's Rights Party." The top of the page reads, "We are updating this section weekly. Our goal is to record the name of every person working in the baby slaughter business across the United States of America. E-mail us with your evidence." This is followed by a list. It has over 300 names. The list includes not only abortion providers, but also judges and others notable pro-choice supporters. Most of the names are in black print, while those that activists have been wounded are greyed-out; still others are crossed out. Looking at my screen, I felt a mixture of sadness and nausea as I saw the name "Dr. Barnett Slepian" already under one of the tidy black lines, striking it from the list.

The literature does not stop at names and personal information. A group called the Army of God created a manual detailing 99 Covert Ways to Stop Abortion, including arson, bombing, the use of butyric acid and other toxic chemicals, and numerous other methods of vandalism. In addition to the step-by-step instructions in terror, the manual promotes a philosophy of violence, gives thanks to a long list of people (using pseudonyms) who have engaged in or promoted violence, and closes with a declaration of war "on the entire child-killing industry," calling for the use of deadly force.

Though it is irreconcilable with my opinion, I understand the ideological basis for the pro-life movement. After all, everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion; everyone is entitled to his or her own choice. No amount of effort, however, will make me understand how the proponents and practitioners of anti-abortion violence can claim to be pro-life when their very actions are for the sole purpose of extinguishing human lives. It is the ultimate contradiction of ideology and practice.

The tragic killing of Dr. Slepian is not even the latest instance of anti-abortion terrorism. Last week, several clinics in the Midwest were threatened with anthrax contamination when they received letters covered in an unidentified powder (this luckily was found to be a hoax). Two of the clinics recieved additional bomb threats. This reign of terror is an evil that will persist in society as long as there are individuals who believe that they can resort to violence as a justifiable, or even necessary, means to their end. History has shown us that the Nazis believed it and that members of the Klan believed it. We all have reason to fear, as it appears that anti-abortion extremists also believe it.

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