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Justice Is Served by Verdict in Murder of Dr. George Tiller, But Threat Remains
Statement of Reverend Dr. Carlton W. Veazey, President and CEO, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice

January 29, 2010

The first-degree murder conviction today of Scott Roeder in the death of Dr. George Tiller serves the cause of justice, and we thank the prosecutors and jury for their clear message that violence against abortion providers will not be tolerated. We pray the verdict sends a clear message to other violent extremists that there is no justification for murdering abortion providers and that their crimes will be punished to the full extent of the law.

We hope that the punishment meted out to Roeder will serve as a deterrent, but the threat of continuing violence is serious. Unless we as a society stop demonizing abortion and abortion providers and demonstrate trust for women’s decisions, hatred, extremism, and ignorance will continue to fester – and inevitably, there will be violence.

It rests on all of us to take action to stop the hate. We must demand that government ensures the safety of abortion providers and clinics. We must speak out clearly against legislation that restricts access to reproductive care. We must challenge at every moment hate-mongering, fear, and lies.

Dr. Tiller was a champion of women’s health and a brave and committed physician who never backed down from providing a medical service to women in need. Let us emulate his commitment to women’s health and in this way honor his life and his memory.