Let's wait and see if there is any similar outrage and shock over the death of a "well-known anti-abortion activist," whose name has not yet been released by local authorities. Early this morning, the victim was shot multiple times as he held an anti-abortion protest sign with the image of a baby and the word "Life."
The shooting took place near a local high school in Owosso, Michigan.
I will not argue that one shooting was any more justified than the other--or that because this man was holding a protest sign when killed, this is a hate crime. Any act like this is senseless and rightfully should outrage anyone who cares about this country.
Update: There were two shootings this morning. Police are saying the two shootings are linked, but details are thin. The pro-life victim's name is James Pouillon, a man known in the community as "the abortion sign guy." Pouillon had been arrested in 1994 for protesting against abortion on the steps of Owosso's City Hall, and later sued the city for violating his First Amendment rights. His suit stated:
James Pouillon is a dedicated anti-abortion protester whose non-working life is largely devoted to activism in that cause. He was a familiar figure on the streets of Owosso, where he staged abortion protests for a portion of each day almost every weekday for over ten years.Pouillon was 63 years old.