I live in Wichita, Kansas. The shooting that is national news for you, is local news for me.
I went to work at noon. I overheard co-workers talking about someone shot in a church.
I was too busy working to stop and ask who was shot.
Later, in the break room, I found out.
I decided that when I got home, after walking the dog and eating a big meal, I would look at Kansas.com, and read the details. And then write a diary at Daily Kos.
I guess a few of you beat me to it.
Here is the link to Kansas.com The shooter's car was pulled over by four sherrif patrol cars.
Lt. Mike Pfannenstiel of the Sherrif's Office said officers pulled the car over just south of the main Gardner exit and got out with guns drawn. The man got out of his car with his hands up.
Asymmetrical warfare used to be called guerrilla warfare. Now it is called terrorism.
That man clearly engaged in asymmetrical warfare. He fired one shot. He was met with numerous trained law enforcement personnel, with guns drawn.
But he is just one guerrilla fighter. There are more.
I am saying that this country has had a bloody civil war, and if our disagreements are stark enough, we could have another civil war.
There is another doctor in America who performs late term abortions, as Dr. Tiller did. This other doctor, Warren Hern, had something chilling to say on the situation we are in, the situation our country is in, the situation Dr. Hern is in:
"I think it's the inevitable consequence of more than 35 years of constant anti-abortion terrorism, harassment and violence," he said.
Dr. Hern predicted that this kind of thing would happen, as soon as Obama was elected President. The anti-abortion people, the most radical ones, feel they are losing the war. They feel they need a surge of violence.
"They want the doctors dead, and they invite people to assassinate us. No wonder that this happens."
"I am next on the list."
The only answer I can think of is for all of us on the pro-choice side of this civil war to refuse to resort to violence in response to the violence coming from the other side.
For example, we in Kansas should repeal the Kansas death penalty, so that we do not kill the killer. So that we stop the cycle of violence.
We have at least two reasons, and every other state has at least two reasons, to repeal the death penalty. Are you listening, Texas?
The one reason is to stop the cycle of violence. The other reason is money. Executing a prisoner costs well over a million dollars in legal fees. The state pays all the lawyers on both sides. Life in prison costs about half as much. There has been serious discussion about repealing the Kansas death penalty for that reason.
So, to avoid a civil war, repeal the death penalty in all states that have it. And repeal the federal death penalty I was very unhappy that my federal government, in my name, so to speak, killed Timothy McVeigh, making him a martyr to all those who hold a grudge against our federal government.
So, once again, the only conclusion I have is to say we should repeal all death penalties, state and federal, across the USA.
To avert escalation of the violence.
To avert a civil war.