{"id":1053,"date":"2009-06-02T11:17:38","date_gmt":"2009-06-02T11:17:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/theirbadmother\/2009\/06\/sticks-stones-may-break-bones-but-words-can-raise-a-shotgun.html"},"modified":"2009-06-02T11:17:38","modified_gmt":"2009-06-02T11:17:38","slug":"sticks-stones-may-break-bones-but-words-can-raise-a-shotgun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/theirbadmother\/2009\/06\/sticks-stones-may-break-bones-but-words-can-raise-a-shotgun.html","title":{"rendered":"Sticks & Stones May Break Bones, But Words… Can Raise A Shotgun?"},"content":{"rendered":"

I can’t stop thinking about the murder of George Tiller<\/a>. I can’t stop thinking about it because it is – as I said the other day <\/a>– just so horrible. And I can’t stop thinking about it because I wonder, where does such a thing put debates and discussions concerning abortion and abortion rights? Will this set us back? How can we talk about this sensitive subject now that violence has exploded around it? <\/p>\n

Bill O’Reilly staked out a position last night. He said this of George Tiller’s murder: I knew that we would be blamed for this<\/i>. He said he knew that they – those who publicly deplored Tiller’s profession – would be accused of inciting – or playing some part in inciting – extremists to murder, and hated for doing so. Which struck me as a terrible thing: those who regard abortion as deplorable should be able to say so without fear of being held responsible for the actions of extremists.<\/p>\n

But then I thought this: shouldn’t there be a line, somewhere far short of the discursive equivalent of yelling Fire!<\/i> in a crowded theatre, that not be crossed, if commentators wish to avoid blame? Where is that line – and did Bill O’Reilly ever cross it? Even as he deplored the murder of George Tiller, O’Reilly refered to him as a “baby-killer” and implied that the abortions performed by Tiller were murders – of future American citizens, no less. To an unhinged extremist, might such words not be understood as calls to action – or justification for the action already taken? What Tiller did was acceptable according to the laws of Kansas, said O’Reilly – but the none-to-subtle suggestion behind those words was: but not according to any higher law.<\/i> And if anyone out there believes that higher laws are more binding than mundane laws… well, who’s law you gonna follow? Onward Christian soldiers?<\/p>\n

I’m not saying that Bill O’Reilly should be held responsible. I’m asking where the line is, and whether such lines put a chill on public discourse. I disagree with what Bill O’Reilly says, but I do – as the saying goes – defend his right to say it. But what if his saying it does have or could have something – anything<\/i> – to do with extremists taking the law into their own hands? What if any such discussion – rhetorically-charged discussion – has such an effect? Should such discussion be discouraged? Forbidden?<\/p>\n

I honestly don’t know the answer to that question. All I know is, I‘ve been party to some remarkably gentle and respectful discussions about abortion and choice that included perspectives from all sides<\/a>, and I fear that space for such discussion may be closing. How do we work against that?<\/p>\n

Bill O’Reilly in action (video via YouTube via Gawker<\/a>):<\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/object><\/p>\n

What do you think?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I can’t stop thinking about the murder of George Tiller. I can’t stop thinking about it because it is – as I said the other day – just so horrible. And I can’t stop thinking about it because I wonder, where does such a thing put debates and discussions concerning abortion and abortion rights? Will…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":179,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1053","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-events"],"yoast_head":"\nSticks & Stones May Break Bones, But Words... 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