The Violent Anti-Abortionist's Handbook

Time ^ | Friday, Sep. 05, 2003 | BROWARD LISTON

[Kerberos]

The Violent Anti-Abortionist's Handbook Executed for kiling an abortion-clinic doctor, Paul Hill leaves a book he hopes will inspire others to follow in his stead By BROWARD LISTON

Friday, Sep. 05, 2003 None of the violence feared by abortion clinics across the country materialized as the state of Florida put Paul Hill to death Wednesday, but the former Presbyterian minister, convicted of the shotgun murders of an abortion-clinic doctor and his escort in Pensacola, Fla., in 1994, may still prove dangerous even as he fades from the headlines. Hill’s legacy, written in prison as he awaited death: A how-to manual for people looking to follow in his violent footsteps.

According to a close friend and advisor to Hill who spoke to TIME shortly after the execution the manuscript is more than a call to action, or martyrdom, as his supporters term it. Hill details not only how to stalk an abortion doctor, but also advises potential martyrs on a number of other details, such as how to prepare themselves mentally and emotionally to kill a law enforcement officer who might be escorting the doctor. You have to kill the officer first, according to Hill.

Hill also stresses the importance of financial backing, since a potential martyr's family is likely to be left destitute, as Hill's was until an anonymous supporter came forward with a large check.

Much of the book draws from Hill's own experience and also contains theological arguments supporting the use of lethal force to prevent abortions. The manuscript has not been submitted to publishers but Hill's backers, for the most part pastors who lead small congregations or splinter groups on the extreme edge of the anti-abortion movement, promised him it would be published in one form or another. Whether there is anyone willing to actually kill, then die for their crimes, as Hill was, is another matter.

[Kerberos]

Like I always said. When you really get to looking at it, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of differences between Christians and Muslims.

They are both convinced that they have the true God and will go to any lengths to further their agenda.

[John Beresford Tipton]

"since a potential martyr's family is likely to be left destitute....an anonymous supporter came forward with a large check."

Just like on the West Bank.
I thought Americans found fault when Saddam did it?
I must be mistaken.

[KCmark]

I could try, but I don't think I could agree more.

[Ahban]

I reject your idiotic claims of moral equavilency.

I guess if you can find a handful of violent Christians out of 1.6 billion, then we are like the Wahabbis, who come to bloodshed with their neighbors of all faiths the world over. Bzzzzt, wrong answer.


And not even Muslims have killed as many innocent civilians as abortionists.

[TigersEye]

Don't waste your time arguing with mentally disturbed people.

[Samurai_Jack]

The pro-abortion movement has a dirty little secret. More abortion opponents have been seriously injured and killed in the last thirty years than have abortion supporters...the NAF reports 125 incidents of less serious physical injury against abortionists. The NAF does not bother to mention that abortion-rights supporters committed 1001 similar incidents of less serious physical injury against pro-lifers during the same time period.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/977472/posts

I should add this point from the resulting posts:

"It's also worth noting that violence against abortion clinics and doctors was almost non-existent until peaceful picketing in front of clinics was severely constrained by the FACE Act and the RICO lawsuits against Operation Rescue."

[explodingspleen]

Why just Christians and Muslims? What about Hindus or Mormons or atheists? How many people were slaughtered because of the ideological agenda of Soviet Russia, which outlawed religion?

It is worth noting, I think, that the Biblical statute Hill was trying to uphold was "Thou shallt not murder" (in his mind, he was not a murderer although the abortion doctor was). Now, if you disagree with that commandment, then you may strike up objection with Christianity. But if you oppose his conclusions or his means, those are largely extra-biblical, and you have no grounds for speaking of Christianity or Christians as a whole based on them.

[Poohbah]

Hill also stresses the importance of financial backing, since a potential martyr's family is likely to be left destitute, as Hill's was until an anonymous supporter came forward with a large check.

Ping. Wonder if the check was signed by Uday, Qusay, or Saddam himself?

[Bobibutu]

Pardon - It would seem to be appropiate to add the word "extremest" here. Hmmmmm?

[<1/1,000,000th%]

One dead abortion doctor and 14 million dead babies. Yeah, that's the same.

[Brian S]

God will clean up this mess someday, when He pulls up our file.

He has created much.

We are but another "garden" to tend to...

[explodingspleen]

Why should we object to someone making sure his family is taken care of?

It is not a "reward" for his actions. No one is posting some kind of sum to be awarded in case of a homocide, and if they were I have no doubt that charges would be brought against them exactly as if they had tried to pay off a more specific assassin.

[Poohbah]

Why should we object to someone making sure his family is taken care of?

The purpose of "making sure his family is taken care of" is to make it easier for the gentleman in question to commit murder, because he knows his family won't need his income. Some may think this to be good; I do not.

[garybob]

Just like on the West Bank. I thought Americans found fault when Saddam did it? I must be mistaken.

You really need to learn the difference between advocating an action vs reporting advocating an action.

[WorkingClassFilth]

A manual written by a man that was caught, convicted and executed for the crimes he is advocating is hardly an awe inspiring testimonial or a reliable 'how-to' reference. Unless, of course, you really want to die from a lethal injection and would like to have the state pay for it.

What a yutz.

[Alberta's Child]

"It's also worth noting that violence against abortion clinics and doctors was almost non-existent until peaceful picketing in front of clinics was severely constrained by the FACE Act and the RICO lawsuits against Operation Rescue."

Thanks for posting that -- that was my post on the other thread.

I did a little research on this the other day in response to a point that was raised on a thread about this topic. The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Ace was passed two months before Hill's crimes in Florida (not, as someone had insisted, in response to Hill's crimes). I have no way of proving this, but I strongly believe (because of the short period of time between the passage of the FACE Act and Hill's crimes) that Hill would never have done what he did if he had been able to "vent" in some other, legitimate way.

[Poohbah]

I have no way of proving this, but I strongly believe (because of the short period of time between the passage of the FACE Act and Hill's crimes) that Hill would never have done what he did if he had been able to "vent" in some other, legitimate way.

Hill was pushing his doctrine of shooting abortionists for many months before FACE passed.

FACE was passed in reaction to another murder a year before Hill did his thing.

[Steve Eisenberg]

One dead abortion doctor and 14 million dead babies. Yeah, that's the same.

In the process of discrediting the cause of those babies, Mr. Hill murdered two people.

[TigersEye]

...and 14 million dead babies.

I believe it is accepted that there have been over 40 million murders by abortion.

Sorry to nitpick your post.

[wardaddy]

LOL.

Everything is relative in your equivocated world eh?

Do you get out much?

Have you been to a muslim nation?

Smoking hashish in Marrakesh does not count.

Let's see, in your world...one anit-infanticide zealot kills a babykiller and you damn all of Christianity to the same dustbin with the folks who flew those planes into the the WTC.....man, the powers of human rationalization helping one to "prove" preconcieved notions is limitless.

Yudan, I hope you have the time, you're gonna love this fool.