The range of reactions to Monday’s column that blamed George Tiller’s murder, in part, on the incendiary rhetoric of some in the anti-abortion movement:From high praise to angry denunciations — and not a lot in between, as you might imagine, given the polarizing nature of abortion.One of those who took offense was cable TV’s Bill O’Reilly.On his Fox News show Monday night, O’Reilly slammed me and three other writers for claiming that hate speech created the climate for Tiller’s murder.“Now it is clear that the far left is exploiting the death of the doctor,” he said. “Those vicious individuals want to stifle any criticism of people like Tiller. That and hating Fox News is the real agenda here.”No, Bill. For that to have been my agenda implies that I watch Fox or your program.As a health precaution, I don’t as a rule watch your network or “The O’Reilly Factor.” On account of me being a “far-left columnist” (O’Reilly’s description), and because it might cause a vein to pop in my head.I did, though, take a peek Monday after someone informed me that I’d gotten a mention.And after hearing O’Reilly defend his use of the label “Tiller the Baby Killer” a time or two, I can see why he thought I was referring to him in my column the other day.Turns out, he’s exactly the kind of flamethrower I was talking about. Thanks to Salon.com for dredging up other examples of where O’Reilly had said Tiller was guilty of “Nazi stuff.” Or when he compared late-term abortions to “the kind of stuff (that) happened in Mao’s China, Hitler’s Germany, Stalin’s Soviet Union.”Of course, O’Reilly is far from the only reckless blowhard using over-the-top language to characterize abortion procedures and abortion doctors.More than a few of the e-mails and comments I received from regular folks equated Tiller with Hitler and referred to abortion doctors as “baby killers.”Language like that creates a climate for violence. When it becomes accepted parlance in the anti-abortion movement, we shouldn’t be surprised that some nut job might feel justified in picking up a gun to intervene.A few readers misunderstood or chose to misconstrue my point, claiming that I was laying blame on all abortion opponents.Not so. My finger is pointed specifically at those who’ve turned this debate into a holy war by referring to a legal medical procedure as murder and those who perform it as perpetrators of a holocaust.Intentionally or not, they have inspired a few zealots to vandalize abortion clinics, harass clinic workers and, on four occasions now, kill abortion doctors in the name of saving lives.Until O’Reilly and others cool their rhetoric, we’re likely to witness more of the same.

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Posted on Tue, Jun. 02, 2009 10:15 PM

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MIKE HENDRICKS COMMENTARY

Incendiary language creates climate that kills

More Hendricks

The range of reactions to Monday’s column that blamed George Tiller’s murder, in part, on the incendiary rhetoric of some in the anti-abortion movement:

From high praise to angry denunciations — and not a lot in between, as you might imagine, given the polarizing nature of abortion.

One of those who took offense was cable TV’s Bill O’Reilly.

On his Fox News show Monday night, O’Reilly slammed me and three other writers for claiming that hate speech created the climate for Tiller’s murder.

“Now it is clear that the far left is exploiting the death of the doctor,” he said. “Those vicious individuals want to stifle any criticism of people like Tiller. That and hating Fox News is the real agenda here.”

No, Bill. For that to have been my agenda implies that I watch Fox or your program.

As a health precaution, I don’t as a rule watch your network or “The O’Reilly Factor.” On account of me being a “far-left columnist” (O’Reilly’s description), and because it might cause a vein to pop in my head.

I did, though, take a peek Monday after someone informed me that I’d gotten a mention.

And after hearing O’Reilly defend his use of the label “Tiller the Baby Killer” a time or two, I can see why he thought I was referring to him in my column the other day.

Turns out, he’s exactly the kind of flamethrower I was talking about. Thanks to Salon.com for dredging up other examples of where O’Reilly had said Tiller was guilty of “Nazi stuff.” Or when he compared late-term abortions to “the kind of stuff (that) happened in Mao’s China, Hitler’s Germany, Stalin’s Soviet Union.”

Of course, O’Reilly is far from the only reckless blowhard using over-the-top language to characterize abortion procedures and abortion doctors.

More than a few of the e-mails and comments I received from regular folks equated Tiller with Hitler and referred to abortion doctors as “baby killers.”

Language like that creates a climate for violence. When it becomes accepted parlance in the anti-abortion movement, we shouldn’t be surprised that some nut job might feel justified in picking up a gun to intervene.

A few readers misunderstood or chose to misconstrue my point, claiming that I was laying blame on all abortion opponents.

Not so. My finger is pointed specifically at those who’ve turned this debate into a holy war by referring to a legal medical procedure as murder and those who perform it as perpetrators of a holocaust.

Intentionally or not, they have inspired a few zealots to vandalize abortion clinics, harass clinic workers and, on four occasions now, kill abortion doctors in the name of saving lives.

Until O’Reilly and others cool their rhetoric, we’re likely to witness more of the same.

To reach Mike Hendricks, call 816-234-7708 or send e-mail to mhendricks@kcstar.com.

Posted on Tue, Jun. 02, 2009 10:15 PM

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