207 anthrax threats
Terrorism against women's clinics gets little gov't
attention
By Sue Davis
Among the many anthrax threats that occurred the week of
Oct. 15, 130 went mostly unreported. The reason: they were
targeted at abortion clinics.
Such widespread, American-as-apple-pie terrorism, which has
gone on for the past 25 years, is not deemed newsworthy by the
corporate press.
Dr. LeRoy H. Carhart is an abortion provider and ex-Marine
whose challenge to Nebraska's law banning so-called
"partial-birth" abortions was supported in a Supreme Court
ruling last year. Carhart wrote an open letter to President
George W. Bush on Oct. 17 appealing for help for abortion
providers. Widely circulated on the Internet, the letter
exposes the government's do-nothing stance in the face of a
long-standing terrorist campaign.
"Too often, law enforcement and judicial officials treat
[anti-abortion terrorists] only as a nuisance and do too little
to prevent, stop or prosecute their atrocities," writes
Carhart. He details how these domestic terrorists, motivated by
religious fanaticism, are sanctified and harbored by mainstream
religious and political leaders.
Carhart cites statistics showing that since 1977, the 4,500
abortion providers and staff in this country have had to deal
with seven murders, 17 attempted murders, 41 bombings, 165
arsons, 82 additional failed bombings and arson attempts, 370
physical invasions of personal and business properties, 942
acts of vandalism, 100 butyric acid attacks, 207 anthrax
threats--including 130 in the week of Oct. 15, 122 assaults,
340 death threats, and three kidnappings.
After quoting Bush's and Attorney General John Ashcroft's
own words condemning terrorism, Carhart ends his passionately
argued letter with: "Please take a stand against domestic
terrorism directed against America's abortion providers."
Is that any more likely now than in the past?
Don't hold your breath. But take note.
The government's stunning hypocrisy on this issue should
open a few eyes on why U.S. imperialism is pursuing this war in
the Middle East. It is not for so-called "enduring freedom." It
is to expand big business's oil-based empire while basic
freedoms--such as the freedom to safe reproductive health care
or freedom from racism and homophobic bigotry--go unmet.
Reprinted from the Nov. 1, 2001, issue of
Workers World newspaper
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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