Mental Illness (Not Ideology) Made Me Do It: Kill the “Abortion Doctor”
Though I’m a died-in-the-wool liberal — and much of the time, radical — I’ve found it hard to believe that Wichita’s Dr. George Tiller was murdered because some right-wing ideologue had been driven into a pro-life frenzy by the likes of Bill O’Reilly. Much as I believe the right is responsible for many ills in our society (unjust war being top of my list), I don’t believe rhetoric can be so inflammatory, that it drives a person to commit murder. The person must be disposed already to commit crime.
Now it appears that Scott Roeder, who’s being held for Tiller’s death, isn’t just your regular guy who got so agitated by pro-life demagoguery that he had to kill. Instead, reports suggest that he struggled with mental illness. From the Telegraph UK:
In a statement released on Monday, Mr Roeder’s family admitted he had “suffered from mental illness at various times in his life” but insisted they had never believed he would kill anyone.
But it emerged that Mr Roeder had a history of extreme hostility and suspicion towards the US government and later allegedly became dedicated to closing what he called Dr Tiller’s “death camp”.
In 1996, a district judge said Mr Roeder presented a “threat of danger to the public” after bomb-making equipment was found in his car along with a military rifle, gas mask and ammunition.
At the time, his father, John, described him as an “obsessed” but loving man who wouldn’t “kill a fly”.
…
In a statement released by Mr Roeder’s family, his brother, David, said: “We know Scott as a kind and loving son, brother and father who suffered from mental illness at various times in his life.”
…
Dave Leach, an anti-abortion activist from Iowa, … said he met the suspect once. “He told me about a lot of conspiracy stuff and showed me how to take the magnetic strip out of a five dollar bill,” Mr Leach told the Kansas City Star. “He said it was to keep the government from tracking your money.”
This is not to say that every conspiracy theorist is mentally ill. But there are people with mental illnesses whose issues express themselves this way. I’m thinking particularly of the sad case of Russell Weston, who had governmental obsessions.
Suspect in abortion doctor killing ‘had history of mental illness’
Slaying suspect ‘obsessed’ with Kansas doctor, ex-roommate says
liz | 10:07 AM | criminal justice system, violence
Sorry, mental illness had no part in this. The pro life folks are organized internal terrorists and this guy was part of and endorsed by the mainstream pro life groups though they lack the courage, integrity and insight to say so. Dr. Tiller was a decent man, a true hero. For this guy to use mental illness as an excuse well it’s just another reason to hate psych labels. Still I’m against the death penalty so I hope the guy rots in prison.
Sally seems pretty far down a similar path. “organized internal terrorists” Ok, whatever. Talk about reckless rhetoric.
At least when people called Tiller a baby killer it was based on the fact that he killed babies.
But back to the topic at hand. Were abolitionists responsible for John Brown’s violence against slave holders? Or do you not care about that because you are against slavery?
If I still lived in Philadelphia, I would make a mighty effort to become your friend, Liz. If you didn’t have me already, you would have had me at “dyed in the wool liberal”.
I’ve always believed that a healthy person wouldn’t murder another, so I am always torn about these kinds of stories.
Dr. Tiller provided a legal service. Just because this nut doesn’t agree with him doesn’t give him the right to kill such doctors. I also always love how anti-abortion people – who “love life” – have no problem in this murder, contrary to their public statements.
He may be mentally ill, but he won’t meet the standard of non compos mentis. He knew right from wrong, as is evidenced by his repeated flight when caught by various clinic workers vandalizing the clinic, and his making such a clean get-away after the assassination of the doctor. Organized Schizophrenics like Roeder are often exploited by people like Randall Terry, and are always convicted, because they don’t “act crazy” enough. And yes, Randall Terry is entirely capable of that kind of exploitation.
Geoff, have you ever read an actual book about John Brown? Because you are making no sense, if you are talking about the actual historical figure.
stuff like this makes me wonder how one person with an illness can be fine, but the next person with the same illness can go totally bizzurk and ‘off’ another person. what is that tiny little difference and why does one person snap and not another?
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