Dr. Barnett Slepian, 52, of Buffalo, father of four and a dear husband was viciously assassinated in October of 1998. Investigators believed that the gunman hid behind a swimming pool in the back yard of the doctor’s home, using a high powered rifle to shot him through a window. This event occurred only four days after authorities warned abortion providers in Canada and the United States to be alert for possible attacks from anti-abortion terrorists. Slepian was one of only three doctors who performed abortions in the Buffalo area, the only one who still accepted Medicaid patients for abortions.
This attack however was no surprise to the abortion community. Slepian had been receiving threats since the 1980s and was the seventh person killed by anti-abortion terrorists in the past decade. In 1992, Slepian temporarily closed his Amherst clinic during the “Spring of Life” protest, a massive demonstration by an anti-abortion group, Operation Rescue in Buffalo. Activists claimed victory however Slepian later stated that he had only closed the clinic to eliminate inconvinience to the other doctors in the clinic. He was determined not to let the frequent confrontations with protesters deter him.
In one particular incident in 1988, protesters swarmed the home of Slepian, chanting “murderer” while his family opened gifts for the Jewish holiday of Hanukah. Slepain was reported to have attacked one particular protester, Ronald Breymeier, who claimed the doctor attacked him with a baseball bat. Charges were settled in 1989, when Slepian was ordered to pay 400 dollars for repairs to a van and the uninsured portion of Breymeier’s medical bills.
“It was during Hanukah, and I think he felt especially put out about that.”
(Harvey Rogers, friend and lawyer)
In recent news, law enforcement officials have charged long-time anti-abortion activist James Charles Kopp in connection with the shooting death of Dr. Barnett Slepian. Kopp although was missing at this point. He was considered a material witness in the case.
There have also been several different attacks in early November in Canada and upstate New York since 1994. There is no concrete evidence that each incident is linked, however, the link between November 11 and the abortion community is evident because they have dubbed this day “Remember the Unborn Children Day”.
There has been much controversy, about the death of Barnett Slepian as illustrated in the following quote by Karen Swallow Prior, Right to Life Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor, who condemned the death.
“For anyone to take it upon himself to be judge, jury, executioner, is nothing but sheer evil.”
Sources of Information:
(http://www.rickross.com/reference/a-abortion/a-abortion3.html)
(http://www.rickross.com/reference/a-abortion/a-abortion6.html)
James Charles Kopp, 44, has been involved with the anti-abortion, pro-life movement for several years. Kopp was on the FBI’s America’s Most Wanted List, however he was arrested in March while hiding in France. He was the suspect in the shootings of Dr. Hugh Short, Dr. Garson Romalis, Dr. Barnett Slepian, and some others in Canada. He was arrested on numerous occasions in a varirty of different anti-abortion protests. In 1990, he was arrested in West Virginia and also in Burlington, Vermont, when he locked himself to the axle of a car. In another protest, Kopp used specially made locks of iron and concrete to link himself to other protesters. Kopp used the same techniques during protests at a Long Island women’s clinic in 1991. Although, he seems like a typical criminal, Kopp was described as “a shy red-haired man in his 40’s who loved classical music, books and old movies.” He believed in God’s kindness and mercy and he is a deeply religious man. These characteristics do not suit a murderer or one of America’s Most Wanted men.
Although, it is only circumstantial evidence, it seems as though there is a national and even international conspiracy against the abortion provider community and Kopp is a key factor in it. Kopp’s vehicle was seen in the neighborhood several days prior to the shooting by one of Slepian’s neighbor. He also went missing after the Slepian shooting and his car was later found at the Newark International Airport in December, apparently it had been there for awhile.
There has been some evidence used in the courts that may have suggested that Kopp did not act alone in each of these attacks. Evidence shows that friends in Ireland vouched references for his employment, had a Irish bank account, and several identities. In 1999, he was also known for teaching protest tactics of American blockade and intimidation to the Irish.
Kopp’s recent arrest has been criticized as a very ironic one. The most anti-choice Attorney General in US history must prosecute an anti-choice assassin. The Bush administration who is wild about the death penalty must forgo punishment to secure Kopp’s extradiction because France opposes it.
Sources of Information
(www.feminist.org/rrights/abortionwatch0999.pdf)
(http://www.lifeadvocate.com/1-98/nation.htm)
(http://www.now.org/nnt/01-98/roe.html)
(http://www.rickross.com/reference/a-abortion/a-abortion6.html)
AP2.N2 v.272 2001
Is
God Pro-Life or Pro-Choice?
Confusion and misunderstandings often occur over the
definitions of words and terms. What does "pro-life" mean?
What does "pro-choice" mean? Let's consider these words from
a biblical viewpoint.
To say God is pro-life is an understatement. God is the
Creator, Sustainer and Protector of life. One of His Ten
Commandments prohibits taking life (Exodus 20:13).
God is also pro-choice in the sense that He created human
beings with freedom of choice. He does not control us in a
way that robs us of the freedom to choose our own way. Human
life is an ongoing series of choices.
But choices are not all equal. There are wise and foolish,
good and bad, and right and wrong choices. Some would have
us believe that one choice is as good as another and merely
a matter of personal preference. Such thinking is based on
the idea that there are no absolutes.
But there is absolute truth. The Bible is God's revelation
of ultimate truth. Jesus Christ said of God the Father,
"Your word is truth" (John 17:17). The Ten Commandments
summarize God's standards of right and wrong.
God doesn't force His standards on anyone. He does, however,
reveal what is right, show some of the consequences for our
actions and exhort us to choose what is right. But then He
leaves it up to us to choose.
For example, God instructed Adam and Eve, forewarned them of
consequences and allowed them to make their own choice-and
then they paid the penalties for their wrong decision.
God inspired Joshua to tell the Israelites, ". . . Choose
for yourselves this day whom you will serve"-whether the
false gods of the pagans around them or the one true God
(Joshua 24:15). In Isaiah 65:12 God pronounces judgment on
the Israelites "because, when I called, you did not answer;
. . . but did evil before My eyes, and chose that in which I
do not delight."
For unborn babies, parents should choose life rather than
death. Abortion is the wrong choice. God is pro-life. He
abhors killing, including killing unborn babies.
The terms pro-life and pro-choice have taken on an
additional meaning in many countries. Politically speaking,
pro-life refers largely to people seeking legislation and
the help of courts to outlaw or restrict abortion.
Pro-choice refers largely to people seeking the opposite-to
remove restrictions on abortion. Though God is pleased with
the goal of saving babies, one must be careful not to assume
God approves of every pro-life tactic, especially when they
involve physical harm or destruction of property. Nor should
we assume He is behind every pro-lifer's efforts or various
legal and political actions.
Legislation, you see, will not be the ultimate solution for
the evil of abortion or any of the other evils of society.
What this world so desperately needs is a change of the
human heart from selfish to selfless, from carnal to caring.
What we need is a change from spiritual blindness to a clear
understanding of right values.
Rather than a philosophy of hedonism ("If it feels good, do
it"), we need to consider the long-term results of sexual
promiscuity-rampant venereal diseases, broken homes,
shattered relationships, drug abuse, suicide and, yes, the
continuing slaughter of the innocents conceived from such
unions. They have certainly done nothing that deserves one
of the most nightmarish deaths one could imagine.
We desperately need to learn God's perspective of right and
wrong. For most of mankind, this will not happen until Jesus
Christ returns to establish His Kingdom on earth.
In all our thinking, God encourages us to choose life-life
in general as well as the way that leads ultimately to
eternal life. He tells us: "I call heaven and earth as
witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life
and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that
both you and your descendants may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19,
emphasis added).
Sources of Information
(www.prochoiceconnection.com/procan/index.html)
(www.prochoiceresource.org/html/about/index.htm)