Ladies and gentlemen, you're about to take part in a very strange moment in American media. On Monday, in our usual 9 p.m. Eastern slot, we'll be airing "The Assassination of Dr. Tiller." It's an hour-long look at the murder of an abortion provider in Wichita, Kansas, last year.
We expect you'll be there. And watching right along with you will be the same anti-choice extremists who hounded Dr. Tiller for years before Scott Roeder shot him at his church. Operation Rescue kept up a "Tiller Watch" on its blog before the killing, and now Operation Rescue president Troy Newman is promoting it for his audience. Newman was interviewed for the movie. In a press release on his website (warning: hideousness ahead), explains why he talked to us:
"We completely understand the liberal bent of MSNBC and expect it to be heavily slanted toward the pro-abortion position. We were concerned with the involvement of talk show host Rachel Maddow, who is a radical abortion apologist who has grossly mischaracterized Operation Rescue and members of our staff on her nightly program."
Operation Rescue continues to insist it had nothing to do with the assassination of Dr. Tiller. The press release never mentions the name of the movie, but concludes, "The MSNBC documentary is scheduled to air October 25, 2010, at 9:00 pm Eastern time. Check your local listings for time and channel in your area."
This night is going to be really, truly something else.
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Whether it's "rescuers" or tea baggers, it's both sad and fascinating watching the incredible twisting of facts and denial of reality going on with these people.
What most people assume is that all these 'events' are important and somehow significant, even life and death, questions of responsibility and commitment. These are the 'pits, holes, knots, mazes, conundrums, etc.' to which we are obligated, or so some would like you to believe. Yet when therapeutically examined, these 'necessary things' are our own creation and generally not positive or beneficial to anyone except those people who stand to benefit financially or otherwise. On the contrary, there seems to be some perversity operating. In the face of some semblance of stability, tea baggers create the conflict that dogs them. When presented with the idea that they don't necessarily have to suffer, they scoff and protest..."life is suffering and constant battle against the forces of evil." "Okay," I respond, "but let's agree that that is your view and your choice, not an external reality."
Tea baggers and other easily manipulated tools respond to all this as if there was no other choice. Whenever they feel that there are no alternatives in their self-made stressful situation, they feel doubly trapped...trapped by circumstances and by their lack of options. This is when the 'normal' neurotic among them go into more significant psychological dysfunction. A sub-diagnosis of this process is that by attending to the constant chaos of earning a living and the occasional crisis of life’s tragedies, they avoid the real issues. That is, the existential conflicts that haunt us all, the things that are really buggin' us. And while it's good for us to understand these people who have different values, stepping into the rotted pork stew of their lives gives us more grist for our philosophic mill. The Nazi numbskulls that tag along at their “parties” play their parts well. My only salient reaction is; What the hell do you see in them that probably isn't there?" They live with the pain of their choices. And that's why they stigmatize those around them, the “other”, in refutation of the fact that they are having to live with the choices they have made.
Drug or alcohol enhanced paranoia is a part of the diagnostic paradigm. I am always fascinated how isolated we become after our teenage years. What happens is a process of faulty thinking being confirmed because we either don't present our ideas to a critical public, or we reject any criticism, as is the same problem that continually dogs the tea baggers. Rather they hold these half-baked “ideas” to the little rodent of their psyches which runs the Mobius wheel of their egos. One of the most common statements mentioned by neighbors after they pull the bullet riddled body of the sniper from the top of the water tower, "He was a good neighbor, though I never talked to him, he seemed to keep to himself. He kept his lawn mowed. He put a flag out on 4th of July."
Rev. D. Melville B. Herron
5110 NW 75th Ave
Lauderhill, FL 33319-6329
October 19th, 2010
954-578-1314
Mbh0412@bellsouth.net
Honorable Barack H. Obama
The President, of The United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave
Washington, DC 205155
Washington, DC 205155
Dear Mr. President
I came to the United States in 1954. I worked very hard. I went to School and studied hard to achieve. I have achieved some. In my early years in the United States of America, inasmuch racism was rampant from North to South, in many cases, people were somewhat friendly.
Within the last two Years it seems that the worst is being demonstrated by Caucasians against none Caucasians. These Caucasians, mostly Republicans, have wrapped themselves in the Flag of The United Stated, assuming Loyalty and Patriotism to America.
The thing that is very annoying to me and millions of other Americans, these same loyalist patriots are doing much harm to our beautiful Country. They have shut down their factories in the United States and shipped the jobs to foreign Countries, all because of greed. These same Republicans are hiring foreign workers in foreign lands to make products of inferior quality to be shipped back to The United States to be sold to persons who were laid off and have no job.
These same Patriots who wrapped themselves in the Flag, boldly state: “We must support our Troops,” and I agree. But low and behold, when these troops, who have put their lives on the line, defending our Freedoms, our Liberties, and the American way of live, have no job to return to, because the jobs are all gone to foreign countries.
To add insult to injury, these Republicans are calling unemployed veterans “whiners”.
Mr. President, the time is short. How can you drive this truth home to the millions of voters before November 2nd, 2010?
Yours Truly
__________________________
Rev. Dr. Melville B. Herron
PS. I know that when you became President you were given a basket to carry water; but I for one, know that you are doing an excellent job, restoring this great nation to its greatness.
mbh
On their site they say this:
They say this in the paragraph following the one where they accuse MSNBC of being heavily slanted on this issue and accuse them of mischaracterizing Operation Rescue.
The inference here seems to be 1) MSNBC will present a heavily slanted position and 2) that position includes portraying Roeder as the "devil."
So I think we can deduce they support what Roeder did.
Just by printing the statements made by Troy Newman dispels the slant accusations.... thankfully the majority of reporters are members of the truly "Free Press" not "Fox"
So...we should probably expect the #maddow stream to be full of trolls. And I should resist the flame bait. I suspect that will be nothing compared to the awful hate mail you guys are going to get. :/
In this mornings L.A. Times on the front page is an article about the increase in child deaths from neglect and/or abuse. Those interested can check their website for the article and stats.
It is horrifying that even one baby or child die from being unwanted and ignored or injured. I can't think of a more valid reason for the legal option of abortion.
Is it better to terminate a clump of cells from being born -- or is more humane to let that unwanted child be born into a family who abuses them? To me, the answer is obvious.
The pious religious right have no idea of real life. To them, God will take care of everything, and He makes no mistakes. It that belief gets them through the night, good on them. But for sweet heaven's sake, let the rest of us have the right to our beliefs and the good judgment to make the best decisions we can for ourselves.
How 'pro-life' can someone be, who, to resolve something he sees as a problem, takes someone else's life?
I'm sorry but from what I heard, read and saw I have deep respect for what Dr. Tiller offered to women who didn't have any other choice and only disgust for a guy who thinks killing is the right answer to something that goes against his beliefs.
how true how true. their 'pro-life' stance doesn't translate to any other issue other than abortion. are they out there protesting state executions? Nope. are they willing to fund state and federal services that will adequately support child and mother? Nope.
Looking forward to the documentary!
I'm anxious to see the reaction to the actual documentary. I remember the Summer of Rescue in Kansas. And I remember Phil Donohue coming to Wichita to broadcast a special show with the leaders of the "Rescue" and the leaders of Planned Parenthood.
The most amazing, and jaw-dropping comment came from the anti-choice leaders. They admitted that their eventual goal is to eliminate birth control of ANY type. I'm not making this up. Once they rid our nation of all abortions, they will then come after our condoms and birth control pills. They've been on this path for 20 years, and nothing they've done has shown me anything different.
This primary season, one of the candidates running for one of the US House seats here in Wichita was firmly anti-birth control. When pressed, he begrudgingly said that he could accept condoms. I'm honestly surprised he wasn't elected. The right-wing wack jobs are in fine form in Wichita. I'll be interested to see how our city is represented in the documentary. Personally, the vast majority of what I personally witnessed was indifference. There were plenty of people, though, who were quite happy Roeder did it, and would say as much when they thought no one with a differing opinion was listening.
I'm glad that Operation Rescue is talking up your documentary about Tiller and Roeder. Hopefully, large numbers of pro-choicers and anti-choicers will watch. It will be most instructive to see how members of each side talk about what they have seen.
O.K. Here's the truth. Sex education in this country has become retarded. By the age of 16, kids should know the 100% scientific truth about reproduction and all sexually transmitted disease. Condoms should be free, and birth control should be covered by all insurance providers.
I am pro-choice. I do believe that abortion should be a last resort; however, I understand reality and I know the truth. These anti-abortion terrorists are nothing more than woman-hating limp dicks.
Sorry, but by the time a kid reaches the age of 16 it is already too late. Kids must be taught these things by the time they reach puberty. I agree with the remainder of your comments.
In my clinc defense days, I used stand toe to toe with these pukes. I remember Randal as the guy shoved awoman on his side of the debate to get yet another opporunity to spew vemon at a camera. I will always remember their not so lofty beginnings AND nothing that coud be said about what they could say or do would shock me. OR praised bombers in the 80s . . . Blessed assassins are simply the next step in their broken idea od Sainthood.
Thank you Rachel Maddow for your bravery and for illuminating this issue. It makes us in the field feel less invisible.
As a grad student, I worked with the National Abortion Federation (http://www.prochoice.org/), and learned about the work of Dr. Tiller. He was an amazing man, and an amazing doctor, willing to continue protecting his patients and offering them options even after his life was almost taken back in the 90s. His courage and enormous heart should be remembered always and honored, not just by the countless women and families he helped, but by everyone.
Thank you Rachel Maddow for telling this story and bringing these issues some much needed attention.
WOW all these comment's have gotten me all wound up Definitely going to watch the show
The one thing you can count on is Rachel's reputation for researching the facts she takes the truth seriously in an unbiased way I was raised to believe the truth hurts that's why some don't like it
My Opinion
A few months ago, the State of Arizona usurped the Federal Government and created their own Immigration Law. As you know, Immigration is the sole providence to the Federal Government. Yet Arizona thinks that they are bigger than the Federal Government. How sad! My personal Opinion is that this was purely a racist act. The State of Arizona has a very large population of Hispanics. According to the United States Census Bureau, the fastest growing voting population in the United States is the Hispanic population. Therefore, the Caucasians living in the United States are very intimidated by the fact that they will soon be in a Minority, while the Hispanics will be in the Majority and as such will be treated as they have treated all Minorities in the past. Those are the facts.
A few days ago the new Governor of Florida, Rick Scott said that He favors the Arizona’s new Law, and I am willing to bet for the same reasons “Racism. Florida is rapidly becoming the fastest growing Hispanic voting State in the Nation. It will be interesting to see how Marco Rubio behaves when Latinos start getting thrown out of Florida.
It is interesting to note that, according to the last report of the Board of Elections and the Census Bureau, only Thirty percent (30%) of the Electorate went to the polls to cast their Ballots. Out of that Thirty Percent (30%), the victorious Candidates received Fifty-one Percent (51%) of the votes. When you crunch the numbers you discover that the victorious candidates were elected by only Fifteen (15.3%) of the total Electorate. Yet, we hear the gloating Republicans saying that they have a mandate from the people! With 15.3% of the Electorate? Then again, we the Democrats could be blamed. Too many of us stayed home and only complained.
According to a recent report, there are 460, 000 more registered Democrats in the State of Florida, than there are Republicans. Yet, our State Legislator is controlled by Republicans. One person once mentioned to me that a lot of people who said that they are Democrats are not real Democrats, but a bunch of Demo-rats. In the last election, I saw a Bumper sticker reading: Sink for Governor, Crist for Senator.
OR is lying.. they plotted Tiller's murder for months. Why they got away with it is beyond me when their sole intent of being in Wichita was to take him out no matter what it took to do so. UGH!