I would like to greatly underscore our need for volunteer escorts at all Women's Health Specialists sites during abortion clinic hours. This is one of our most tried and true methods of getting the client into the clinic safely and without incident. A good volunteer strategy is to talk continuously with the client while making eye contact with her until she is safely through the front door. This is an effort to distract her from the protestors who may resort to yelling. Volunteers are clearly identified during clinic hours, and are needed now more than ever. Please dicuss this vital issue with your friends and family.

Dr. Tiller's murder is a huge loss for women all around the world. He was someone who would see women that sometimes other abortion providers would not see, or could not see. It is tragic and sad that someone would kill another person for providing much needed health care services. The anti-abortion picketers outside the clinics, even in our own communities are engaged in intimidation and harassment of clients, staff and doctors on a daily basis. The reality is, that women coming to our clinics for services have their private lives invaded by crazy extremists who cross the line by doing this. They yell, they put up ugly signs, they block the driveways and even by standing outside the clinic they attract other crazy people to join in. Volunterrs can help by offering to escort women into the clinic and to monitor the activity of these picketers. People should share their experiences to get the word out to every community that this is going on everywhere. When I walk by these people I feel angry and upset. They are continuing to invite violence, and what they are doing is a form of violence, as far as I'm concerned. People should come together to protect the clinic and the clients...although it is never safe with these antis out there, there is strength in numbers on our side. As a group we can come up with ideas to rally against the harassment. Maybe a community meeting can be held, where people discuss this issue as a community issue, not just the problem of the clinics. It affects everyone in the community when so many people come to the clinics for services. Sometimes WHS is the only healthcare that women and men have! I think framing this as an issue that affects everyone, and having community meetings would be a good strategy in fighting this violence outside our clinics.

this just proves that we need to inform our mothers sisters,daughters and aunts to fight for our rights.To call to action for the protection we need for our right to choose. to let the people in goverment know we will keep our rights to choose our health care what is best for us and we are capiable to make the right choice for us to Dr Tillers family and staff my deepest sympathy goes out to you.

One thing that we can do right now is to sign National NOW pledge for reproductive freedom. Go to http://www.now.org/ and sign the pledge!

Today was my first day as a volunteer escort at WHS. After seeing the way anti protesters harass patients, I couldn't be happier to be part of a support system for these women coming in for services. After hearing about the murder of Dr. Tiller, it makes me wonder how these extremist protesters think that they are spreading enlightenment in any way. For example, the protesters today were advertising "God's love" along with their harassing anti chants. Now, I am not one to say whether there is or is not a god, but what I do know is that if a god is the creator of all, I doubt they would want their name tied to any type of hateful act. My heart goes out to Dr. Tiller's family and respect everything he was willing to do for women even when it put his own life in danger.

Here is some news updates and information about what you can do about clinic violence. Vicki Saporta, President of the National Abortion Federation, speaks with Rachael Maddow of MSNBC on abortion clinic violence. Rachael Maddow has been vigorously following the story of Dr. Tiller's murder and clinic violence. She is calling these acts a reign of terror. Those of us on the front lines protecting clinics and clients for decades, have been decrying violence and stopping the war against women's choice. See the video of Maddow interviewing Saporta by going to: http://www.prochoice.org. You can join Physicians for Reproductive Health at: http://www.prch.org/position-statement-reproductive-health-within-health-care-reform, to join them in an effort to pass a resolution in Congress objection to Dr. Tiller's murder and send a message against clinic violence. MSNBC's Keith Oberman called for a quarteen of Fox's television communicator Bill O'Reilly for inciting others to violence. O'Reilly for the past 4 years has called Dr. Tiller various names: "Tiller the baby killer", "Has blood on his hands", and likened him to Stalin and Hitler. Check out Olbermann's story "Fox News' Killer Conspiracy" at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677#31053883

Carol Downer has launched, along with Women's Health Specialists, an Abortion Speak Out Campaign. You can read a very moving speech that Carol gave at a vigil for George Tiller in Los Angeles on our website at: http://www.womenshealthspecialists.org/?cf=Call%20To%20Action/Carol%20Downer%20Tiller.To read more about our Abortion Speak Out Campaign, please go to: http://www.womenshealthspecialists.org/?cf=Call%20To%20Action/Abortion%20Speak%20Out. (Or go to the Call to Action Menu.) Please participate in this campaign and tell your sisters, mothers, and other women in your lives about it. We can only de-stigmatize abortion by telling our own personal stories. Telling our stories will normalize the abortion experience and put a human face on women and providers. So step forward and tell your stories! We welcome comments and your thoughts about this campaign on this blog.

So I have noticed that the anti-abortion picketers have gotten very biased coverage in the Chico News & Review. The recent sway of the articles is that violence is more often incited on pro-lifers than on abortion providers and supporters. Obviously this is bogus, but somehow supporters of this theory got word of this article and wrote in support of the anti's claim. This is not what concerned me the most. What was most disturbing is that this reader's response was written from a different state! What does this mean for us? Are they sounding alarms throughout a unified group? Are these weekly protesters more than just a small group of radicals or are they rather a highly organized and complex group?

These anti-abortion groups are well organized on a national level. Roeder, who is facing charges for murdering Dr. Tiller, was connected with Operation Rescue (O.R.). O.R. is a national group, whose members have murdered physicians, and clinic staff before, have led violent stampedes at clinics, completely blocking doors at clinics for days, and sometimes for weeks. After the Democratic convention in Atlanta in the mid-90's, they blocked the doors of the Atlanta Feminist Women's Health Center for days, and crawled into the clinic. The clinic was under seige for weeks. During the Clinton administration, the Freedom to Clinic Access act was passed, making it a federal crime to interfere with a medical facility. There were approximately 10 conviction under the FACE law during the Clinton administration, and two under the Bush administration. Many leaders in the anti-abortion crusade have signed the "deadly dozen" petition (a justification for harassing abortion providers) and and the many leaders and followers of the Army of God picketed and firebombed clinics and harassed clinic staff and doctors. These groups shared memberships and tactics. Almost all of the anti-abortionists arrested for violent crimes were directly linked to various national groups and members. Clearly, clinics and their supporters have to keep the pressure on their local and federal law enforcement agencies. Supporters of clinics have to help keep clinics and clients safe on a local and national level, because clinics alone don't have the resources to shoulder the burden. Pro-choice excorts and staff have witnessed violence increase in front of clinics for years, as a direct result of the screaming, yelling, and violence instigated by the anti-abortion picketers. On rare occasions, family or friends of clients will lash out against the bigoted and hateful words yelled at them, in defense of the women accessing clinics. These protective incidents pale in comparison to hours of picketing and harassment, arson, and murder.

The Chico News and Review has been biased in their characterization of this incident. How writing letters or emails to them? Here is the URL: www.newsreview.com/chico/content?oid=1027313

Steph, Your question regarding the connection of protesters and others across the nation sure was on the mark. Donald Spitz, who wrote a letter to the editor in support of Canfield (a frequent anti-abortion picketer in Chico)is the editor of the Army for God website, and friends with all of the major anti-abortionists who have been charged for arson and murder. He publicly advocates murder of abortion providers and is dangerous. What it means for us is that we have to be extremely vigilant, cautious, and defend women's clinics and help bring about justice by demanding that the authorities enforce laws. We also need to expose them and educate people about what is going on.

Thank you so much for researching this Jude! I can't believe that they are so interconnected and it scares me that Canfield has relations with such dangerous people. This, as you stated, is a constant reminder that as women we must stand strong to protect our rights.

Update on Scott Roeder: Rachael Maddow, at MSNBC, did a story last night on her show (see video: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#32366143)exposing that anti-abortionists from across the country have been visit Roeder in jail. She gave a good background on the Defensive Action Statement signed by many anti-abortionists across the country. The Defensive Action Statement justified the use of deadly force against providers of abortions, and 6 of the signers have gone on to commit murders, arsons, and other crimes against providers. Maddow story is a must see and she provides a good analysis of how the anti's are celebrating murderers and trying to attract more militants. One of Roeder's visitors is Donald Spitz, writer of the Army of God Website. It would be great to hear from more of you about these heinous attacks against providers and women.