Question of the Month
Readers’ Responses
“I have my Trust Women shirt on today! I Right away this morning I posted on Facebook acknowledgement of the three year anniversary of Dr. Tiller’s untimely death. I help to run a small abortion fund in Northeastern MN, and also sent out reminders to all of our supports and subscribers about what May 31st means to us. I have a powerful sense of sadness with me today, but also a sense of anger and determination. I will never give up or stop working for and speaking on behalf of this cause. Trust Women! My heart hurts thinking about Dr. Tiller being shot and killed three years ago today. I weep and feel distress and great concern for the women who are to go without medical care, who need later term abortion procedures and have no options! What madness! My favorite memory of Dr. Tiller is when he (during the summer of mercy) hung a large sign on his clinic that read, “Women need abortions and I’m going to do them.” ~Dr. Tiller” -Leah Z.
“Dr. Tiller was a great American, standing up for the rights of the stigmatized and vulnerable. He faced down death every day at his clinic with courage, commitment, and resolve. He also saved many lives through his work. This is the real Memorial Day.” -Ann C.
“I did clinic support at Dr. Tiller’s clinic for many years. I remember more than anything else his refusal to back down in the face of unrelenting harassment and threats. Yet, he never lost his good humor or his desire to help women get their lives under control. One scene sticks in my mind as an example of his courage. He came out to the clinic parking lot to do some calisthenics one day when we were all at the gate doing clinic support. The antis were, as usual, on the sidewalk and in the street yelling at people who were coming into the clinic. Dr. Tiller worked out for awhile, then went back inside, without ever acknowledging the screaming harassers. More than anything else, I think he wanted his life to be normal. One day, when we sat together at a social event, I said something about my age and how I felt like I was slowing down and wanted to retire from teaching. He said he thought he was ready to think about retirement. Unfortunately, he never got to do so. He never got to spend the time with his grandchildren that I know he wanted to. I was proud to speak for Dr. Tiller when Julie Burkhart was out of town. I was proud that I was able to help women get into the clinic safely. I was proud to play a small role in keeping abortion legal and safe for those women, who were at a turning point in their lives. We lost a real hero when we lost Dr. Tiller.” - Diane W.
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