Pro-Life Group Wants Justice Department to Investigate Death Threats, Gets Refusal
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
June 26, 2009
Wichita, KS (LifeNews.com) — A pro-life group is asking the Justice Department to review several death threats it has received in the wake of the shooting of late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller. However, Operation Rescue officials say the Obama administration has not responded.
The pro-life group has released the copies of audio recordings of calls it has received from abortion advocates who threatened the pro-life organization after Tiller’s death.
One caller says it’s "time to start killing Bible-thumping morons" while another says "I hope somebody comes and kills you all" and a third caller says "One of you is going to die."
"Would you want some protection after receiving these kinds of threats?" asked Operation Rescue president Troy Newman. "Too bad. The current government isn’t interested in protecting your life… unless you happen to be pro-abortion."
In an email to LifeNews.com, Newman says there is a dichotomy in how the Obama administration has responded — with Attorney General Eric Holder offering protection to abortion centers and staffers but pledging no support for pro-life groups that feared retaliation.
"Apparently, the Obama administration’s Justice Department is playing favorites when it comes to protecting the lives of Americans," Newman says. "If you promote or provide abortions, Attorney General Eric Holder will dispatch U.S. Marshals to protect you when threatened. But if you’re not one of those privileged minority… you’re out of luck. Even if you receive scores of death threats."
"We expected that Barack Obama would not be a friend to life; but we didn’t expect the favoritism to be so blatant and so callous," he added.
Other pro-life advocate shave also received death threats in the aftermath of the Tiller shooting.
Staff at the Wichita office of Kansans for Life received calls from abortion advocates that were threatening.
"This person was out of control, emotionally, you could just tell," Mary Wilkinson said of one call.
"I hope you’re happy," the person said. "You’ve killed him. Now I hope somebody comes and kills you all."
At the office of the Kansas Coalition for Life, one person left a text message a few hours after the shooting: "One of you is going to die for what you did to Tiller."
Instead of responding to the threats, Newman says he worries the Obama administration and abortion advocates will use the Tiller killing for political gain.
"To be honest, I’m very concerned for the safety of my family and friends who are making a stand for life every day. But I’m also very concerned that the Obama administration and other Democrats may try to capitalize on the murder of Tiller to defuse the abortion issue in upcoming Supreme Court confirmation hearings," he says.
"Like so many other pro-life leaders, I have condemned the killing of Tiller. But I’m also concerned that pro-abortion activists are going to use this incident to brand the entire pro-life movement as ‘extremist,’" he said.
Related web sites:
Audio recording of death threats
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