Violence Against Abortion Clinics: Analytical Essay

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Abstract

Ever since the legalization of abortion procedures in 1973, protests led by anti-abortion extremists have resulted in dangerous levels of brutality against women’s health care providers. They made the decision to take upon themselves the commitment of preventing women access to abortion facities, depriving women of the right to an abortion. Violence that starts from harassment and escalates all the way up to the bombing and vandalism of abortion facilities does not come without any repercussions. Not only do all of these vicious attacks put a serious threat to the lives of the people who are connected to the clinics, but also puts a strain on the mental health of them and their patients. Health care providers have spoken about being in a constant state of fear for their lives and the lives of their loved ones as they are threatened and stalked by pro-life extremists. In this paper, I will elaborate on the attacks against abortion clinics, the pro-life movement and what they believe, the effects of the violence, and how these actions are not rational or excusable.

Violence Against Abortion Clinics

On January 22, 1973, the monumental decision of Roe v. Wade legalized the once-banned abortion procedure. The operation includes, “the removal of pregnancy tissue, products of conception, or the fetus and placenta (afterbirth) from the uterus (Harvard Health Publishing).” This resulted in campaign formations of anti-abortion extremists whose objectives were to eradicate the market for abortions. From their passionate beliefs arose an intense level of violence against women’s health care providers along with facilities that offered abortions. Dating back to the early 70’s, vicious attacks that escalated up to arson and bombings were set into motion and still persists to this day. Abortion clinics, as well as those who work in them, are constantly faced with threats, harassment, and assault. Anti-abortion violence has caused an unjustifiable amount of death and property damage, causing a rise in the demand for security at the clinics due to the heightened fear and stress of those who offer and seek abortion services.

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From 1977 to 1988, the United States was home to a vigorous epidemic of anti-abortion violence that, according to The National Abortion Federation, involved, “110 cases of either arson, firebombing, or bombing, 222 clinic invasions, 220 acts of vandalism, 216 bomb threats, 65 deaths, 46 assaults and batteries, 20 burglaries, and 2 kidnappings (Grimes, Forrest, Kirkman, & Radford, 1991).”

All of this brutality had extensive financial repercussions. Excluding the cost of lawyers, security, insurance, and staff recruitment, “the total cost was $7.6 million.” Not only were the clinics as a whole attacked, but so were the abortion physicians individually. In 1994, Dr. David Gunn was murdered by an anti-abortionist during a protest outside of his clinic (2019). Shortly after the death of Dr. Gunn, Dr. John Bayard Britton and a volunteer at the clinic were both shot outside of a women’s health center (2019).

The people who were behind the multitude of violent acts against abortion clinics belonged to the opposing group of pro-life. Those who are pro-life are against abortion on the basis of that it kills an unborn child, which is unjustifiably wrong regardless of the situation. They believe that the act “dehumanizes our society” through the damage it causes innocent children and parents. Religion also plays a major role in influencing the ideas of those who consider themselves to be pro-life. In an experiment to determine how religion affects abortion views, 35,071 people were surveyed and asked two questions: 1. Should abortion be legal or illegal? 2. Do you believe in God? 14,313 answered that abortion should be illegal and 98% of those in opposition to abortions stated that they believed in God (2015). The Bible states that people become human beings right at the point of conception and that people exist in accordance with a divine plan. With this belief, there is no difference between killing a fetus and a person who is already living. On the secular side, those who aren’t influenced by religion hold a biological stance. Secular pro-lifers are opposed to abortion because they believe that since we are all human beings, and human development biologically begins at fertilization, then unborn babies should be treated as if they were already born. The idea that human life begins before humans are born sparks the urge to help obstruct any path that would help anyone receive an abortion and terminate any chance a fetus has at life. Pro-lifers are constantly criticized for their conservative views. In the words of Malcolm Gladwell from The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, “We will always reach for a dispositional explanation for events, as opposed to a contextual explanation (Gladwell, 2002).” Pro-lifers are accused of this in regards to their anti-abortion beliefs. They choose to focus more on the unborn baby rather than the mother. This results in accusations of insensitivity towards the explanations and reasonings pregnant women give to defend their decisions.

Security and protection upgrades for clinics followed the aftermath of the attacks. In fact, abortion clinics implement the most extreme security strategies in the entire medical industry (Zielinski, 2015). From mandatory staff security trainings to bulletproof glass reception desks and metal detectors, the majority of clinics do whatever is possible in order to ensure safety (Zielinski, 2015). Even the location of the facilities factor in safety. According to David Cohen, constitutional law professor, “ many clinics are built away from main roads, tucked away in areas that aren’t accessible by public transportation and difficult to find, and it’s hard for anyone to be heard through bulletproof glass (Zielinski, 2015).” The conditions that the work staff at clinics are now forced to deal with also take a negative toll on them. Julie Burkhart, A previous coworker of the assassinated Dr. George Tiller, explained the constant state of fear those who worked in clinics were always in. She said, “there was always this sense in the back of your head, that who could be the next gun man or gun woman out there (McCammon, 2018)?” Staff members have reported several instances in which anti-abortion protesters have found their identities and have threatened and targeted their families. Cohen explains that, “ some doctors drive to some public parking lot and get picked up by clinic staff, just to get to work in the morning, and staff wear disguises, carry guns, change their mailing addresses – it’s a constant fear (Zielinski, 2015).” Besides the working staff, the extreme security measures do nothing to ease the anxiousness and fear that the patients inside of the walls feel. They have been said to amplify the patients’ feelings of secrecy and isolation, which only creates a more upsetting environment and causes them to have an even worse experience (Zielinski, 2015). The amount of hate and violence that abortion clinics receive is a clear display of how some people perceive them, and this takes a toll on the mentalities of pregnant women and their recovery process. Protesters vocalize their disapproval in anyway they can think of can even go as far as violent acts of aggression has a resort to get their point across. This has no positive impact on the patient whatsoever. According to Charles Cooley, “I am not what I think I am, and I am not what you think I am, I am what I think you think I am.” People react based on what they believe others think about them. The opinions of the pro-lifers surrounding the clinics about the abortion patients are obvious and exude a negative atmosphere over the buildings. In an attempt to prevent as many people as they can from entering the facilities, protesters mob the entrances and harass anybody who tries to go in. So much so that clinics now have volunteers who are assigned to escort patients through those mobs and keep them safe. Kim Gibson, a clinic escort volunteer in Jackson, Mississippi and organization director, Derenda Hancock call when a protester impersonated a clinic escort in order to harass a patient. The impersonator asked the patient to roll down their window as they drove up to the facility. After the person rolled down the window, the protester used it as an opportunity to throw a pamphlet into the car and yell, “what did your baby do wrong? (Shah, 2019)”

Dating back to Roe vs. Wade, people who identify as members of the pro-life movement have claimed that everybody’s life is valuable and unborn babies have the right to it. Their strong beliefs were so intense that it quickly escalated from simple disapproval all the way up to brutal attacks such as arson and bombings. These excessively violent anti-abortion protests are completely unjustifiable when they are at the expense of numerous lives, property damage, and emotional destruction. Protective measures such as major security upgrades have been made in order to avoid future attacks as much as possible. However, a rise in paranoia, worry, and fear in those who are associated with abortion clinics are in direct correlation with the violence, and the extra security precautions just intensifies those emotions. There are safer and more peaceful protest alternatives available that do not jeopardize the lives and mental health of those who have opposing beliefs.

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