Murder Is NEVER The Right Thing To Do
Sep. 12th, 2009 08:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
filkertomThis is not about whether abortion is murder. I happen to believe it is not, but that's not pertinent right now.
Here in Michigan, a man was murdered yesterday for carrying graphic anti-abortion signs. The killer apparently didn't like the look of them.
Let me reiterate that, using the words of this diary at Daily Kos:
There are a hell of a lot of people I disagree with. I would never, for the briefest instant, consider killing them. Or physically hurting them. Or even raising my voice in most cases. The nastiest violence I've ever really wanted to do to someone is a good bitch-slapping (on a few guys whose names rhyme with Tush, Brainy, Stove, Bum Smelled, and Pistol).
The entire point of free speech is protecting speech you don't agree with. I don't like anti-abortion protests, not because they say something I disagree with but because they tend to use harassment, intimidation, and illegal blockading of medical facilities to deny women legal medical procedures. They can say whatever the hell they want.
Violence is the line that should never be crossed. And it was yesterday, and two men died. And it doesn't matter that one of them was a passionate activist in favor of something I am very much against -- even though of course it does matter, because his passionate activism led to his death. It doesn't matter what he thought, what he felt, what he believed. No one will ever have the chance to change his mind, show him other possibilities, engage him in debate.
No one will ever hug him, hold him, tell him they love him, get him something for Christmas.
He's fuckin' dead. Because someone decided to kill him. For disagreeing.
Murder is always incredibly wrong, incredibly evil. This... somehow seems worse.
My deepest condolences go out to the families and friends of James Pouillon and Mike Fuoss. May you find some semblance of peace.
Here in Michigan, a man was murdered yesterday for carrying graphic anti-abortion signs. The killer apparently didn't like the look of them.
Let me reiterate that, using the words of this diary at Daily Kos:
He didn't think it appropriate to show signs of aborted fetuses in front of a school so he murdered somebody in front of a school.Apparently the killer had a grudge against the two men who were slain, and was on his way to kill a third.
There are a hell of a lot of people I disagree with. I would never, for the briefest instant, consider killing them. Or physically hurting them. Or even raising my voice in most cases. The nastiest violence I've ever really wanted to do to someone is a good bitch-slapping (on a few guys whose names rhyme with Tush, Brainy, Stove, Bum Smelled, and Pistol).
The entire point of free speech is protecting speech you don't agree with. I don't like anti-abortion protests, not because they say something I disagree with but because they tend to use harassment, intimidation, and illegal blockading of medical facilities to deny women legal medical procedures. They can say whatever the hell they want.
Violence is the line that should never be crossed. And it was yesterday, and two men died. And it doesn't matter that one of them was a passionate activist in favor of something I am very much against -- even though of course it does matter, because his passionate activism led to his death. It doesn't matter what he thought, what he felt, what he believed. No one will ever have the chance to change his mind, show him other possibilities, engage him in debate.
No one will ever hug him, hold him, tell him they love him, get him something for Christmas.
He's fuckin' dead. Because someone decided to kill him. For disagreeing.
Murder is always incredibly wrong, incredibly evil. This... somehow seems worse.
My deepest condolences go out to the families and friends of James Pouillon and Mike Fuoss. May you find some semblance of peace.
