Ever since North Dakota governor Jack Dalrymple signed the toughest abortion restrictions in the nation into law last week, he's been the target of ugly death threats against him. These threats are beyond reprehensible, and were rightly condemned from across the spectrum. But is that enough for the anti-abortion crowd? Oh no. If a story in Charisma magazine is any indication, the forced-birthers are nitpicking over the fact that pro-choicers haven't expressed concern for Dalrymple's safety.
Amidst multiple threats of lawsuits in North Dakota, new threats have emerged. According to "Stand up for Women ND," a Facebook group created to oppose the new abortion legislation and personhood amendment in North Dakota, Gov. Jack Dalrymple is receiving death threats from pro-abortion activists after signing three anti-abortion laws passed by the North Dakota House and Senate yesterday.
After posting several negative comments about Gov. Dalrymple, Stand up for Women ND stated, "We have received word that Governor Dalrymple is receiving death threats." The post went on to plead with supporters of the anti-life cause to cease the criminal threats, closing with "We want stoic, respectful solidarity or we will not be taken seriously." At the time of this press release the page did not express any concern for the life and health of Gov. Dalrymple.
Oh, good grief. Isn't it enough to condemn such disgusting behavior? Seems to me that act alone is an expression of concern for Dalrymple's safety.
Moreover, this hair-splitting exposes the staggering hypocrisy on the anti-abortion side. They wag their fingers about death threats when one of their "mainstream" leaders is an admitted clinic-bomber who, based on all available evidence, was an accessory to murder. For those who don't know who I'm talking about, Cheryl Sullenger serves as senior policy adviser for Operation Rescue even though she pleaded guilty to attempting to blow up a San Diego abortion clinic in 1988. And in 2009, her number was on the dashboard of George Tiller's murderer, Scott Roeder. Despite this, not only is Sullenger still on Operation Rescue's payroll, but she and her boss, Troy Newman, are still sought out by fundie news sources for interviews and quotes. And yet, they nitpick about how we condemn death threats? What nerve!
As many of you know, I renounced the anti-abortion movement two years ago because of its lack of respect for basic human dignity. One big factor behind that decision was Sullenger's continued employment at Operation Rescue. You would have thought that after it came out Sullenger had been communicating with Tiller, the pressure would have come fast and hard for Newman to give Sullenger her walking papers.
Jesus said that you shouldn't try to get a splinter out of someone's eye when there's a plank in yours. Well, from where I'm sitting, the forced-birthers have a pretty big 2-by-4 in their eye.