The Colorado Spring attack was a terrorist attack. A person fundamentally against abortion for most probably religious reasons chose for whatever reason to shoot passers by and a police officer.
Vicki Cowart, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, said in a written statement. "We share the concerns of many Americans that extremists are creating a poisonous environment that feeds domestic terrorism in this country. We will never back away from providing care in a safe, supportive environment that millions of people rely on and trust."
This incident of violence against abortion clinics is not an isolated one : there have been at least 73 successful attacks on American abortion clinics since 1997, according to the National Abortion Federation. Not included in this count the numerous failed attempts. The violence includes action aimed at abortion providers themselves with different weapons, either shootings, stabbings, or acid attacks. In 2012 alone, there were four arson attacks on clinics in Florida, Wisconsin, and Georgia. Last September in Washington state an abortion clinic was set on fire.
Who are the people doing these actions?
Operation Rescue, Christian Defense Council, The National Right to Life committee who usually speak out against the organization's (Planned Parenthood) values are today showing support and condemning violence.
Yet one has to wonder if their violent rhetoric describing abortions as crimes and murder is not fueling these attacks.
Deeply religious people can consider that they do want to abide by the laws of the land that allows abortions. They take matters in their own hand by taking a violent action that in their belief is "accepted by God".
By any criteria the definition of this action falls under the term of "terrorism".
Surely not organized terrorism and surely home grown.
It is an eye opener. Intolerance and bigotry are the pillar of terrorism. It can happen within any society.
It is very sad and should give people ranting about the danger of admitting Syrian refugees to consider that extremism is possible within any society.
The only way to fight it is to promote tolerance and the value of freedom and democracy and not by fueling division by a discourse of intolerance and bigotry.
Vicki Cowart, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, said in a written statement. "We share the concerns of many Americans that extremists are creating a poisonous environment that feeds domestic terrorism in this country. We will never back away from providing care in a safe, supportive environment that millions of people rely on and trust."
This incident of violence against abortion clinics is not an isolated one : there have been at least 73 successful attacks on American abortion clinics since 1997, according to the National Abortion Federation. Not included in this count the numerous failed attempts. The violence includes action aimed at abortion providers themselves with different weapons, either shootings, stabbings, or acid attacks. In 2012 alone, there were four arson attacks on clinics in Florida, Wisconsin, and Georgia. Last September in Washington state an abortion clinic was set on fire.
Who are the people doing these actions?
Operation Rescue, Christian Defense Council, The National Right to Life committee who usually speak out against the organization's (Planned Parenthood) values are today showing support and condemning violence.
Yet one has to wonder if their violent rhetoric describing abortions as crimes and murder is not fueling these attacks.
Deeply religious people can consider that they do want to abide by the laws of the land that allows abortions. They take matters in their own hand by taking a violent action that in their belief is "accepted by God".
By any criteria the definition of this action falls under the term of "terrorism".
Surely not organized terrorism and surely home grown.
It is an eye opener. Intolerance and bigotry are the pillar of terrorism. It can happen within any society.
It is very sad and should give people ranting about the danger of admitting Syrian refugees to consider that extremism is possible within any society.
The only way to fight it is to promote tolerance and the value of freedom and democracy and not by fueling division by a discourse of intolerance and bigotry.
