Bill O’Reilly — who’s taking a beating for the jihad he’s waged against George Tiller, the doctor who performed late-term abortions and was gunned down yesterday — will address the killing and the criticism directed at him on his show tonight, a Fox spokesperson confirms to me.
O’Reilly has attacked Tiller in dozens of episodes, frequently referring to him as “Tiller the Baby Killer,” Salon reports. After the news spread of Tiller’s murder yesterday, multiple critics fingered O’Reilly for fomenting a hate campaign against him.
I asked Fox spokesperson Richard White if O’Reilly had a response to the criticism. “Mr. O’Reilly will be addressing the issue/topic on tonight’s show,” White answered.
July 7, [1997], Kansas: Scott Roeder is sentenced to sixteen months in state prison for parole violations following a 1996 conviction for having bomb components in his car trunk. Roeder, a sovereign citizen and tax protester, violated his parole by not filing tax returns or providing his social security number to his employer.
He was also an active member of Operation Rescue; in 2007 a "Scott Roeder" posted this on the Operation Rescue website (which has been down throughout the day, probably more as a result of increased traffic than any sense of collective shame):
[May 19th, 2007 at 4:34 pm] Bless everyone for attending and praying in May to bring justice to Tiller and the closing of his death camp. Sometime soon, would it be feasible to organize as many people as possible to attend Tillers church (inside, not just outside) to have much more of a presence and possibly ask questions of the Pastor, Deacons, Elders and members while there? Doesn’t seem like it would hurt anything but bring more attention to Tiller.
The Lawrence Journal-World and News relays that Kansas City station KMBC reported a post-it note with a phone number for Operation Rescue in his car at the time of his arrest.
So a bombmaker, tax protester, member of the "sovereignty" movement, anti-abortion zealot and Operation Rescue member: the arrested suspect manages to fit every stereotype of right-wing militia teabagger.
Just your average guy who "values life" above all else, so much so that he (allegedly) felt compelled to take one.
Once he's convicted, finding a place to imprison him will be a real challenge, since our super-max facilities apparently aren't secure enough to hold, you know, terrorists.
O'Reilly will say, was a man who was guilty of barbaric acts, but a civilized society does not resort to lawless murder, even against its worst members. And O'Reilly, we can assume, will genuinely mean this.
But there's no other person who bears as much responsibility for the characterization of Tiller as a savage on the loose, killing babies willy-nilly thanks to the collusion of would-be sophisticated cultural elites, a bought-and-paid-for governor and scofflaw secular journalists. Tiller's name first appeared on "The Factor" on Feb. 25, 2005. Since then, O'Reilly and his guest hosts have brought up the doctor on 28 more episodes, including as recently as April 27 of this year. Almost invariably, Tiller is described as "Tiller the Baby Killer."
Tiller, O'Reilly likes to say, "destroys fetuses for just about any reason right up until the birth date for $5,000." He's guilty of "Nazi stuff," said O'Reilly on June 8, 2005 [...]
O'Reilly has also frequently linked Tiller to his longtime obsession, child molestation and rape. Because a young teenager who received an abortion from Tiller could, by definition, have been a victim of statutory rape, O'Reilly frequently suggested that the clinic was covering up for child rapists (rather than teenage boyfriends) by refusing to release records on the abortions performed. [...]
While he never advocated anything violent or illegal, the Fox bully repeatedly portrayed the doctor as a murderer on the loose, allowed to do whatever he wanted by corrupt and decadent authorities. "Also, it looks like Dr. Tiller, who some call Tiller the Baby Killer, is spending a large amount of money in order to get Mr. Morrison elected. That opens up all kinds of questions," said O'Reilly on Nov. 6, 2006, in one of many suggestions that Tiller was improperly influencing the election. [...]
Tiller, said O'Reilly on Jan. 6 of this year, was a major supporter of then-Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. "I think it's unfairly characterized as just a grip and grin relationship. He was a pretty big supporter of hers." She had cashed her campaign check from Tiller, "doesn't seem to be real upset about this guy operating a death mill, which is exactly what it is in her state, does she?" he asked on July 14 of last year. "Maybe she'll -- maybe she'll pardon him," he scoffed two months ago.
This is where it gets most troubling. O'Reilly's language describing Tiller, and accusing the state and its elites of complicity in his actions, could become extremely vivid. On June 12, 2007, he said, "Yes, I think we all know what this is. And if the state of Kansas doesn't stop this man, then anybody who prevents that from happening has blood on their hands as the governor does right now, Governor Sebelius." [...]
O'Reilly didn't tell anyone to do anything violent, but he did put Tiller in the public eye, and help make him the focus of a movement with a history of violence against exactly these kinds of targets (including Tiller himself, who had already been shot). In those circumstances, flinging around words like "blood on their hands," "pardon," "country club" and "judgment day" was sensationally irresponsible.
I left out a lot, so, please, go read the whole thing. Billo is not a clown, as we like to call him when we're in snarkier moods. No, he's not a clown, nor is he at all funny. He is, however, complicit in inciting violence that led to an innocent man's murder.
UPDATE... Doctor George Tiller was aborted today in his 204th trimester - aren't paybacks a bitch- Punch
oh HAPPY DAY! Tiller the baby killer is DEAD!- Samantha Pelch
George Tiller the baby killer was shot dead this morning. God bless the gunmen who hopefully won't be caught. - readnwatchchris, Creedmor. NC
was George Tiller the baby killers brain scrambled the way he scrambled full term fetuses.. one can only hope - Brad S
Infamous baby killer George Tiller gunned down at (irony) church. Why do I not feel sorry for him? Have fun at Judgment Day. - James Fiddler
tiller the baby killer shot dead...wow. is it insensitive of me to say what goes around comes around?- Brad M. Negulescu Cleveland.
George Tiller the Baby Killer shot dead. May he rot in Hell. - Amy Strong
Tiller Baby Killer was shot and killed this morning Justice has been served. - Shirl Ledeux
Thinking about "Tiller the baby killer" He now knows the wages of sin is death.- Dianne McDowell
May Tiller rot in Hell , infanticide is the murder of babies, he WAS a provider of death like Hitler, Bundy the list goes on.... - Dennis, A People Voip Company
Burn in hell George Tiller - mikedanben Sparta, NJ (41.005501,-74.672)
No need to pray for George Tiller. We know he went straight to hell!!!!! - Laurie D. Bailey Olive Branch, MS
Good ridence to Tiller - babies will not be murdered because he is now gone. Wonder how he likes hell! - Jay Emess, Southern, NJ
Karma is a beautiful thing. Cheers to the hero who sent George Tiller where he belongs... straight to hell. - Matthew Kamar
omg!george tiller abortion dr. was killed n his church parkn lot! hell yea! - Sarah Gulick, Wtichita, Ks
George Tiller: Burning in Hell for the last three hours. - darthdilbert Kettering, Oh
Hmm, I know it's wrong, but I feel like the Late-Term Abortion Doctor George Tiller, got what was he deserved..... - Mary Keogh London England
Boom Boom Boom. George Tiller was served a very very late term abortion this morning. - Chad Coleman, coeur d'alene, Id
[...] The overwhelming majority of tweets from both sides of the abortion issue expressed horror at the assassination of Dr Tiller.
If you are as outranged as we are by this senseless assassination please donate to Planned Parenthood in honor of Dr Tiller.
"I am shocked and outraged by the murder of Dr. George Tiller as he attended church services this morning. However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence."
Dan Monnat and Lee Thompson, Dr. George Tiller's attorneys, issued the following statement today at the request of Mrs. Jeanne Tiller, the Tiller's four children and ten grandchildren:
"Today we mourn the loss of our husband, father and grandfather. Today's event is an unspeakable tragedy for all of us and for George's friends and patients. This is particularly heart wrenching because George was shot down in his house of worship, a place of peace.
We would like to express the family's thanks for the many messages of sympathy from our friends and from all across the nation. We also want to thank the law enforcement officers who are investigating this crime.
Our loss is also a loss for the City of Wichita and women across America. George dedicated his life to providing women with high-quality heath care despite frequent threats and violence. We ask that he be remembered as a good husband, father and grandfather and a dedicated servant on behalf of the rights of women everywhere."
These are the people who are offended by the phrase "clinging to their guns". These are the people who cherish the blastocysts, but not the child. These are the people who say things like the following, when an innocent man is murdered in cold blood. Here are some examples of their twisted, perverted logic:
I can’t help but to follow the logic. “Doctor” Tiller is committing late-term abortions, which by any sane person’s calculation is infanticide. This is murder. Through perversion of the law, this is permitted, despite it flying the face of the history of civilization. This has been tolerated for two decades, and nothing has happened to stop the killing. He would have continued to commit this crime.
I can’t escape the conclusion that killing Tiller was the right thing to do. I am uncomfortable with this conclusion because it’s dangerous. But nevertheless, it was the ethical thing to do. Tiller would have continued to take numerous lives. Nothing was going to stop him. So someone did stop him. And now fewer lives will be taken.
We celebrate the breaking the laws every time the media canonizes Rosa Parks. She broke the law. There is no question of that. The question is whether it was the ethical thing to do (it was.) We celebrate the Nazi resistance, we celebrate the Tiananmen Square uprising. I’m sure those were all illegal actions, yet were unquestionably the moral things to do. So how would killing a killer, when all options are exhausted, not also be the right thing to do?
You have to wonder if the reason why we have a legal system is in order to steal the oxygen from moral vigilantism. You have to wonder if the legal system breaks down whether vigilantism, when all other options fail, becomes a moral imperative.
Another Commenter:
I really dont care if it gets used against us.
Do we dismiss what this guy was doing because someone took the law in their own hands? Granted, we shouldnt take the law into our own hands. But if the left is going to paint a picture, then Id like to take the opportunity to paint the picture right back on late-term abortions.
IMHO, Denouncing does no good alone. The left doesn’t play fair.
And finally:
This is one idiot who should get the death penalty and it will be “proof” that all pro-life people are haters and killers, whereas for example dozens if not hundreds of ACORN vote cheaters are called isolated incidents not indicative of the good things the organization does.
Yeah, comparing this killer to ACORN is logical. H/t: Gregg Mitchell
George Tiller, the Wichita doctor who became a national lightning rod in the debate over abortion, was shot to death Sunday morning as he walked into church services.
Tiller was shot just after 10 a.m. at Reformation Lutheran Church at 7601 E. 13th, where he was a member of the congregation. Witnesses and a police source confirmed Tiller was the victim.
.jpg)