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DEAR MR. DEAR: Pro-Lifers Don’t Kill People. You Don’t Speak for Us.

DEAR MR. DEAR: Pro-Lifers Don’t Kill People. You Don’t Speak for Us.

Last updated on: December 9, 2015 at 10:08 pm by Kathy Schiffer

DEAR MR. DEAR: Pro-Lifers Don’t Kill People. You Don’t Speak for Us. 2015-12-09T22:08:13-05:00 Kathy Schiffer

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By drsuparna http://www.flickr.com/photos/74896762@N00/ [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Robert L. Dear Jr., the shooter who burst into a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood clinic and fired a semiautomatic rifle, shooting twelve people and killing three of them, now claims he “did it for the babies.”

The impassioned and unshaven killer, cuffed at the arms and legs, appeared in court today for the first time since the November 27 shooting. “I’m guilty!” he admitted to Judge Gilbert A. Martinez. “There’s no trial. I’m a warrior for the babies!”

So at the offset, before the abortion-biased mainstream media pundits get their hands on the story and say “I told you so,” I want to clarify:

PRO-LIFERS DO NOT KILL PEOPLE.

PRO-LIFERS CONSIDER ALL LIFE–

EVEN THE LIVES OF THEIR POLITICAL OPPONENTS,

EVEN THE LIFE OF ROBERT DEAR–

TO BE SACRED.

I know that there will be reports out there from pro-abortion activists, claiming that Mr. Dear speaks for all pro-lifers (whom they call “anti-abortion activists”) and that “the rhetoric should be toned down.”

For example, at USA Today, columnist Greg Toppo repeated the old saw that “Threat of violence is ever-present at abortion clinics.” CBS News reported “Violent attacks are nothing new for Planned Parenthood.” And the National Abortion Foundation reports that “since 1977, there have been eight murders, 17 attempted murders, 42 bombings, 186 arsons and thousands of other incidents, including vandalism.”

Of course, no murder, no violence is ever acceptable; so I am not claiming that the comparison of abortionists murdered (8) to unborn children murdered in the same time period (58 million) renders the violence at abortion clinics acceptable.

And please, don’t get me wrong! I’m not denying that these violent acts occurred. What I’m saying, though, is that the perpetrators of those crimes are troubled or mentally ill or hot-tempered, but they’re not “pro-life.”

Within hours of the news that there had been a shooting in Colorado Springs, prominent pro-life leaders and organizations were unanimous in their condemnation of violence. They came out to publicly dissociate themselves from Dear, to condemn violence, and to offer support and prayer for a return to peace in that community.

While the event was still unfolding, Operation Rescue and the Christian Defense Coalition issued a statement denouncing the violence that appears to be in progress at a Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue, released a statement which said,

“Operation Rescue unequivocally deplores and denounces all violence at abortion clinics and has a long history of working through peaceful channels to advocate on behalf of women and their babies. We express deep concern for everyone involved and are praying for the safety of those at the Planned Parenthood office and for law enforcement personnel. We pray this tragic situation can be quickly resolved without further injury to anyone.”

National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) President Carol Tobias was quick to speak out against the shooting. Tobias said,

“National Right to Life, which represents 50 state affiliates and more than 3,000 local chapters, unequivocally condemns unlawful activities and acts of violence regardless of motivation. The pro-life movement works to protect the right to life and increase respect for human life. The unlawful use of violence is directly contrary to that goal.”

An accompanying NRLC statement said the group “has always been involved in peaceful, legal activities to protect human lives threatened by abortion, infanticide and euthanasia.”

The Christian Examiner summarized the first responses of other well-known pro-life organizations:

Russell D. Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, tweeted, “Vigilante violence at abortion facilities is immoral & condemned by Christians. We overcome evil with good, not with more evil (Rom 12:21).”

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins condemned the shooting, noting that FRC’s building in recent years also was the target of a shooter.

“While the investigation into the shooting at the Planned Parenthood center continues, regardless of what the motive is determined to be, we strongly condemn this violence,” Perkins said. “As the target of domestic terrorism inspired by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the staff of the Family Research Council empathize with all the victims of this violence. All of us at the Family Research Council join with the pro-life movement in praying for the injured officers and victims of these deplorable acts.

“Only through peaceful means – not violence — can we truly become a nation that once again values all human life, born and unborn,” Perkins added.

Lila Grace Rose, president of Live Action, sent out a series of Tweets condemning the violence.

“Being pro-life is to uphold the preciousness of all human beings – born & preborn. Praying for those hurt at Planned Parenthood in Colorado,” she wrote. “We condemn violence against any human being, whether abortionists, @PPact workers, patients, or preborn babies. Every life is precious.”

So please don’t try to lump the actions of one disgruntled loner with the prayerful service and educational outreach of pro-lifers. It’s not equivalent. I know that, and you know that.

Robert Dear may be mentally ill; or he may be a violent criminal. That will be determined through psychiatric testing.

What he is not, however, is certain: He is not pro-life.

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