How to Deal with Controversial Subjects

Last week, Wichita, Kansas, abortion provider Dr. George Tiller was gunned down in his Lutheran church outside Kansas City by Scott Roeder, a 51-year-old abortion opponent. Roeder, who is now in prison awaiting trial, has vowed that more violence will ensue in the wake of Tiller's death if abortion remains legal. Come on, folks! You can espouse pro-life views, but doing so with violence only undermines anti-abortion groups' message. Fortunately, most anti-abortion groups have vehemently denounced Roeder's actions and statements. Sadly, members of infamous pastor Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church congregation turned up to protest at Tiller's funeral yesterday. They held up signs with slogans, like: "God sent the shooter." Mind you, this is the same group that protested the funerals of gay soldiers who died in Iraq and Afghanistan and claimed that the deaths of these brave individuals were punishment for America's tolerance of homosexuality. Y'know, I don't have a problem with Christianity per se, but I have a serious problem with reprehensible deeds being done in the guise of it. People, we have to end the Culture War and peacefully agree to disagree on certain issues. The bottom line is: liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican, pro-choice or pro-life, we are all Americans. More importantly, we cannot solve our differences violently.