Anti-abortion groups should renounce violence 

As a professional organization of health-care providers, we are appalled and saddened by the May 31 assassination of Dr. George Tiller, an Ob-Gyn and abortion provider. We send our prayers and condolences to his family and co-workers.

We recognize that among our members, as in society at large, there are opponents and supporters of abortion rights. As professionals, our duty to our patients is to provide the best care for any individual, regardless of our or their view. We are committed to guiding them to suitable information and options, mindful that at all times the path to health is ultimately the decision and choice of the individual.

We are alarmed by the most recent ideologically motivated murder of a women’s health-care provider who, while at work, wore a button that read “Trust Women.”  No other segment of health care has experienced such a barrage of verbal and violent attacks, including arson, bombings, and murders. What group of providers will be targeted next by some movement that disagrees with that particular health-care provision?

We call on the mainstream anti-abortion groups to disassociate themselves from the violent fringe of their movement and alert local authorities of the identity of those like-thinking members who would attempt to change policy and the law of the land through cowardly terrorist acts of violence.

We are committed to the idea that both sides of this issue can find common ground by working to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies. As an organization, we cannot accept nor will we be intimidated by violence and shall continue to provide medical information, confidential counseling, and discussion in a nonjudgmental manner.