Just over a week ago Dr. George Tiller was murdered in his church as he was ushering on Sunday morning.  When I first heard this news I was shocked.  I’ve heard the stories about the crazy anti-abortion protests from decades ago but to have this violent act happen now was incredibly scary.

After hearing the news, speaking with my friends and loved ones and quickly reaching out to those I love, I tried to jump back into my normal daily activities.   My week was busy with work, traveling to Atlanta for a presentation and a wedding on the weekend.  But tonight I gathered with a strong community of advocates in an interfaith memorial service celebrating the life of Dr. George Tiller.  As soon as the first hymn of Amazing Grace began I became a ball of tears, snot and emotion.  I realized that I had been holding in all of my fear, anger, anxiety and grief all week long.  I needed this sanctuary to really feel and experience the impact of his death.

The memorial service was sponsored by the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice and it was a beautiful service embodying many faith traditions and leaders in the Reproductive Rights movement.  Cecile Richards spoke about his funeral service in Wichita and the hundreds of people who gathered in support and grief.  Christian and Hebrew scriptures highlighted the intense feelings of anger and a call to action.

His eulogy was delivered by Dr. LeRoy Carhart, a friend and colleague who also provides comprehensive reproductive health services to women throughout the Midwest.  It was incredibly moving to hear more about Dr. Tiller’s life, his family who he loved dearly, and to hear little anecdotes about his personality.  One of my favorite quotes of Dr. Tillers was, “when the going gets tough, the tough get Dairy Queen.”  Such a simple fix for leading such a tough life filled with harassment, death threats, firebombing of his clinic and ultimately his murder for doing such necessary and legal work. 

Dr. Tiller carried out his practice with full compassion for the women he served.  Another Tiller quote states, “Abortion is not a cerebral or a reproductive issue.  Abortion is a matter of the heart: for until one understands the heart of a woman, nothing else about abortion makes any sense at all.”  After his clinic was firebombed in 1993 causing over $100,000 worth of damage, he put up a huge sign that read, “Hell No, We Won’t Go!”  He was able to raise funds to build an even better clinic. He installed a chapel in his clinic to attend to their spiritual needs of his patients and had a chaplain on duty.  This dedicated, religious man was shot in his own peaceful sanctuary of his church.

As my tears dried up and my vision cleared, I looked around the sanctuary filled with abortion activists and advocates.   I was reinvigorated with the reminder that this community exists and is dedicated to providing women and their families with safe, legal access for abortions and other health care services.  I am proud to be a religious advocate who supports abortion rights and I’m glad there are many others out there who do the same.  Let’s make sure we work together to ensure safe, legal abortion access for all women.   There are many ways to get involved in this important work.  I hope you’ll join me.