Paul Hill was convicted for killing an abortion doctor and his security guard. Hill’s rationale for his actions was as follows: “Whatever force is legitimate in defending a born child is legitimate in defending an unborn child.” First Things (journal of religion, culture, and public life) asked several pro-life apologists to respond to Hill’s rationale (back in 1994).

Robert George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University and member of the President’s Council on Bioethics, wrote with both wit and hint of sarcasm:

I am personally opposed to killing abortionists. However, inasmuch as my personal opposition to this practice is rooted in a sectarian (Catholic) religious belief in the sanctity of human life, I am unwilling to impose it on others who may, as a matter of conscience, take a different view. Of course, I am entirely in favor of policies aimed at removing the root causes of violence against abortionists. Indeed, I would go so far as to support mandatory one-week waiting periods, and even nonjudgmental counseling, for people who are contemplating the choice of killing an abortionist. I believe in policies that reduce the urgent need some people feel to kill abortionists while, at the same time, respecting the rights of conscience of my fellow citizens who believe that the killing of abortionists is sometimes a tragic necessity-not a good, but a lesser evil. In short, I am moderately pro-choice.

http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft9412/articles/killing.html#George

If you substitute the word “abortionists” with “fetus” you will have the typical abortion-choice argument offered by those who claim to be pro-life “personally,” but don’t want to impose their personal beliefs on others who may disagree. George capitalized on their rhetoric and used it against them in his satirical reply. Most people reading his comments would be horrified if they thought he was being serious, and that is what George wants. Why? Because if the unborn are just as human as the born, then the outrage they feel at such reasoning should be applied equally to the issue of abortion.

If we would not give people the choice to kill of abortion doctors on the grounds that (1) it is a matter of conscience and religion, and (2) we cannot impose our personal opposition to the practice on others, then we should not allow the choice to kill the unborn using those same justifications.

HT to Scott Klusendorf for bringing this back-issue of First Things to my attention.