Gross ignorance that Violence begets violence--Re: Free Republic's "Paul Hill Execution" Threads

Free Republic ^ | 9/4/03 | Dr. Brian Kopp, Vice President, Catholic Family Assoc. of America

[Polycarp]

My anger over the pathological nature of "legal" baby killing and the individuals on these threads who see Hill's crime as somehow "worse" than that of the baby killers has led me to say things on these threads that I don't really believe, just to point out the rank hypocrisy and stupidity of certain posters on these threads.

I've made my points. I'll stop using bitter sarcasm and cynicism now and state clearly:

1)Hill murdered an abortionist, and deserved the punishment meeted out to him by the state. The state has the right, recognized in 2000 years of Christian moral theology, to impose capital punishment. But In all honesty, I have reservations about the death penalty.

2) Abortion may be "legal" but it is still a crime against humanity. Though it would be unjust to try them, by ex-post-facto prosecution once abortion is again made illegal, abortionists still must pay some measure of justice for their crimes. Revoking their licences and general social ostracizing would be minimum and insufficient justice.

3) Vigiliante "justice" and ex-post-facto law cannot be tolerated in a civil society. However, neither can judicial tyrrany and legislation by judicial fiat. Civil rebellion against judicial tyranny and legislation by judicial fiat is not now unwarranted. However, it may in the future be necessary. In the context of innevitable future civil rebellion against judicial tyranny and legislation by judicial fiat it is very likely that certain individuals might engage in vigilantism and ex-post-facto justice. Don't say I didn't tell you so.

4)In the current situation of pathological legalized violence in the form of "legal" baby murdering, everyone must understand that violence will always beget more violence, outside of the abortion clinics. Expect more cases like Hill. It is axiomatic that the violence of "legal" abortion will beget further violence, usually among the intellectually/emotionally/psychologically unstable.

5) Because it is axiomatic that violence, even the violence of "legal" abortion, will always beget further violence, it is evidence of gross ignorance of human nature and Natural Law that certain folks express surprise and dismay at the actions of someone like Hill.

6) Furthermore, to express more outrage at Hill's crime than the pathological violence ("legal" abortion) that precipitated Hill's crime is a symptom of a culture that has completely lost its moral compass and is on the straight and narrow path to self destruction.

[Polycarp]

No.

[wideawake]

What about his having killed the retired Air Force Officer, nobody seems to want to talk about that inconvenient fact.

Do you mean the guy whose entire apparent motivation in life was to make sure that as many children were killed by abortionists as possible?

[Catspaw]

They were motivated by a desire to destroy all vestiges of the Constitution, not just the now-attenuated right to life.

Oh, I see--if one has the "correct" motivation, shooting an abortion doc in a parking lot until he stops moving is all right with you, or at least enough to get him off on criminal charges.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Yikes.

[visualops]

Revoking their licences and general social ostracizing

Ostracizing is up to people and is not a legal issue.
Revoking a legal license for acting within the law makes no sense.
There are some medical doctors that no longer perform abortions. Some are now outspoken pro-life activists. Would you revoke their medical licenses?

[HurkinMcGurkin]

You will probably be the very first one to express surprise and dismay at the level of anger and retribution meeted out if and when a rebellion against judicial tyranny occurs.

No, not if it involved rebellion against government oppression such as a outright gun ban or the suspension of the Constitution. I don't know what the hell you are talking about regarding "civil rebellion" and future abortion cases. What are you guys going to do if abortion isn't made illegal again in the next ten years. No, wait, I don't want to know.

[strela]

Thanks for the ping. Appropriate response is being drafted.

[Polycarp]

There is almost a glee, a giddiness evidenced by some that this man was executed...I don't see nearly the concern for the lives that are snuffed out everyday and I don't see nearly the indignation toward the perpetrators--abortionists.

I'm actually taken aback by the sheer vehemence and joy with which many talk about Hill burning in Hell,/b> and so forth but not one accompanying word about whether the abortionists will do likewise.

Bingo!

[CaptBlack]

A Losertarian.

I was here and I didn't even notice the Libertarian. I voted Slade. You don't, by chance, know how much the Libertarian got or whether or not data is available that shows that votes that the Libertarian got would have, de facto, gone to Slade? (And I'm serious! Not pulling your leg here)

[ArrogantBustard]

What about his having killed the retired Air Force Officer, accessory to serial murder?

He belongs in the same pit as his serial-murdering employer.

[CaptBlack]

oops!
disregard that last post.

[RightWhale]

Abortion may be "legal" but it is still a crime against humanity.

After 5000 years the ethical question is still not resolved. The seriousness of the offense is also still not resolved. The Bible is a lot of help, mentioning a fine to be paid to the father.

[kb2614]

He commited murder in the first degree, was tried and convicted accordingly. Paul Hill's reasons are irrelavent.

Abortion is wrong. Insanely self righteous nutbags are not any better.

[habs4ever]

You couldn't just deplore Hill and leave it at that, could you? Why the need to use the "on the one hand..but"...type of arguments that fanatics and supporters of lowlife cop and abortion killers use unless PART of you approves of their actions?

Why try to square the circle?

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Do you mean the guy whose entire apparent motivation in life was to make sure that as many children were killed by abortionists as possible?

You can even justify killing the escort?

You people are freaking scary.

[January24th]

Well, what I think would be much more interesting, in the quest for journalistic integrity, would be to examine Paul Hill's last statements. Curiously, no one has moved to verify the either poetic irony or haunting reality of his goal that day: to stop the killing in that place.

It has impact, but no one has pursued it: can we find just one woman who was scheduled for a "procedure" that day or soon after, who, in the delay and trauma of the event, decided to keep her child? That child would be at least 9 years old today. Is she grateful? Does she still think about how it felt to arrive at the clinic and see that someone so violently opposed her "choice" that day? What changed her mind? Is she happy, is the child happy? Are there others out there?

If it was found there was no impact on a single person's decision, then that irony alone would warrant a closer inspection of our collective hearts.

These findings would not justify his actions in the eyes of the U.S. Judicial system, nor in the eyes of anyone who opposes killing as a means of solving a problem.

But, it would bring Paul Hill's reasoning into a different light. It might make some folks uncomfortable, even enrage them. But it would be intellectually honest to at least ask. Has anyone asked?

[Agnes Heep]

The fact that Hill may have been morally justified in doing what he did doesn't excuse him from judicial punishment for having clearly committed a crime. That's the crux of civil disobedience, in my opinion--standing up and acknowledging the act and accepting without reservation any penalty therefor. Even if we agree with his motivations and his ends, however, we're obliged to uphold the penalty, and even administer the penalty if necessary. To do otherwise is to flirt with anarchy.

[Scenic Sounds]

Why try to square the circle?

I think they call that situational ethics.

Good post. ;-)

[Polycarp]

I am neither advocating killing abortionists nor civil rebellion.

I'm simply telling you schmucks that violence begets violence, and as long as you tolerate the violence of "legal" abortion expect to see more violence like Hill's and eventually the violence of civil rebellion.