Another Case of Domestic Terrorism In the U.S.

The terrorists are not just located in far-away middle eastern countries. They are also located here in the U.S. The person who murdered Dr. Tiller today in Kansas was sending a clear message to other doctors who perform abortions. If you perform LEGAL abortions in this country you are placing your life at great risk. That is terrorism and we need to fight it just as aggressively as we are fighting international terrorism. I must commend President Obama and Attorney General Holder for their swift actions in this case.

I live in the heart of probably the most notorious city for anti-abortion violence in the U.S. - Pensacola, Florida. I still remember the foggy night on Christmas eve 1984 when I was standing outside and speaking with a good friend after we left a party I attended at another friend's house. Suddenly the calm was shattered by an explosion and then by another much stronger explosion. I then drove home wondering what it was I had just heard. Little did I know that I was the first car to drive by the abortion clinic that was bombed that Christmas eve. Two other doctor's offices were also bombed. My friend and I are probably the only people to hear 2 out of the 3 bombings that night.

More Pensacola history: In 1993 Dr. David Gunn was shot and killed outside an abortion clinic. This was the first murder of an abortion doctor in the United States. In 1994 Dr. John Britton and clinic escort retired Air Force Lt. Colonel James Barrett were both shot and killed outside of another facility in Pensacola. Thankfully, all of the domestic terrorists were captured and convicted in these cases. Reverend Paul Hill, who committed the 1994 murders, was executed in 2003 - good riddance to that unrepentant, arrogant piece of trash who committed his terrorist acts in the name of God. The other terrorists were sent to prison and Michael Griffin, who committed the 1993 murder, is serving a life sentence.

There are no easy solutions to stopping this steady stream of domestic terrorism which has been occurring on U.S. soil for more than 25 years. But we must do what we can to protect the medical staff and escorts at these offices and clinics from a handful of insane, misguided fanatics.