The speech given by our Co-President at the June 1, 2009 vigil in West Palm Beach:
Yesterday morning, May 31 2009, Dr. George Tiller was assassinated in Wichita KA, while ushering at his church.
As an abortion provider, he was targeted his whole life by the radical right. His clinic was bombed. He was shot in both arms. Despite everything, he continued to do his work out of deep conviction and concern for his patients.
Terrorism directed against reproductive healthcare providers is nothing new in America. Here in FL, in 1993- 94 two doctors and an escort, a retired Air Force Colonel, were murdered in Pensacola.
In 2004 the clinic in Lake Worth was firebombed. In 2005 our clinic here in West Palm Beach was firebombed.
Sadly, the average American seems indifferent to the risk and stress that reproductive healthcare providers face every day. Except in their day of need—when they, their sister, daughter or friend is in crisis, it seems they don’t really care. If they hear hate talk about abortion providers, they think, “it’s not my problem.”
But at the National Organization for Women, we care. To us, these brave doctors, counselors, receptionists, guards, nurses are heroes. They are there for us every day to make sure that reproductive choice – a woman’s ability to make her most personal decision in private, with her family, with her own heart—is more than an empty promise.
Dr. Tiller, we thank you for your life of service. We mourn you. And we will stand with you and your colleagues, our friends.
H. Joan Waitkevicz MD
Co-president, North Palm Beach County NOW
561-802-3722 npbcnow@aol.com