"It is not a man's job to take life...."

Said the murder.

I read this article on the CBC News the other day, "Manslaughter not option in abortion shooting: judge".

Apparently, murderer Scott Roeder was hoping for a lesser charge of manslaughter after killing abortion doctor, George Tiller in his church, last May.

Yes, I'll say that again... he killed him in his effing CHURCH! And then he threatened two ushers with his gun when they tried to intervene.

Tiller is quoted as saying, "It is not a man's job to take life.  It is our heavenly father's. He is our creator."

The irony leaves me at a loss for words.

Mr. Roeder was hoping for a manslaughter conviction instead of first degree murder, because he believes that his actions were justified, considering that others' lives were at risk if left in the hands of Dr. Tiller. (Even though abortions are legal in Kansas.)

While reading this article, I couldn't help but be reminded of the haunting lyrics of Ani Difranco who penned a powerful song entitled, Hello Birmingham. The song is about Dr. Barnett Slepian who ran an abortion clinic in Buffalo, New York. In Oct. '98, after returning home from synagogue, he was shot and killed through his kitchen window as he prepared macaroni and cheese.

I think Ani is a brilliant artist and I absolutely love her music. This is just one of many of her songs that I find really sticks in my head. But it's certainly not due to a catchy MTV hook. Instead, it's the power of her words. In just a few short lines, she manages to paint some pretty unforgettable imagery.

She sings...

It was just one shot

Through the kitchen window

It was just two miles from here

If you fly like a crow

A bullet came to visit a doctor

In his one safe place

A bullet ensuring the right to life

Whizzed past his kid and his wife

And knocked the glasses 

Right off of his face

And the blood poured off the pulpit

Yeah the blood poured down the picket lines

Yeah, the hatred was immediate

And the vengeance was divine

So they went and stuffed god

Down the barrel of a gun

And after him

They stuffed his only son

While the homemade video is kinda shaky and therefore, slightly annoying, (although I do think the addition of Martin Luther King at the beginning is a nice touch) the song is certainly worth a listen.