(RNS) The online auction house eBay has halted a proposed auction of items that aimed to raise funds for the defense of the man charged in the May killing of abortion provider Dr. George Tiller.
“Based on the details we know about the anticipated listings, we believe these would violate our policy regarding offensive material,”
the company said in a Tuesday (Oct. 27) statement. “eBay will not permit the items in question to be posted to the eBay site, and they will be removed if they are posted.”
Dave Leach, an anti-abortion activist from Des Moines, Iowa, said he had hoped to auction items to raise money for Scott Roeder, who was charged with first-degree murder in Tiller’s death. Tiller was murdered May 31 in the lobby of his Wichita, Kansas, church.
Among the items Leach said supporters hoped to sell were a copy of the Army of God manual, an underground guidebook for anti-abortionists that describes how to shut down abortion clinics; a cookbook compiled by Shelley Shannon, an Oregon woman who wounded Tiller in 1993 and was later convicted in a series of abortion clinic bombings; and “A Time to Kill” a book by anti-abortion activist Michael Bray.
Listings that “promote or glorify violence, hate, racial or religious intolerance,” are not permitted, eBay said.
Leach said eBay’s rules about glorifying violence contained “vague” language.
“It’s unfortunate that they would make a decision without even finding out what … kind of disclaimers and explanations we’re going to put on with it,” he said.
Leach said he’s looking into other options for an auction, which he said is designed to increase Roeder’s legal defense options.
By Adelle M. Banks
Copyright 2009 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
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posted October 28, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Good for Ebay!
Unfortunately there are some sick folks who would actually buy some of the items….and in doing so, help the jerk who killed the doctor. I know, innocent until proven guilty! Only had an entire church full of whitnesses.
posted October 28, 2009 at 7:56 pm
When Dr. Tiller was killed there was a lot of “yea” comments from the anti abortion groups, even in this area. I think these groups should be treated as a terrorists. They complain about killing but have no problem killing…oh, but I forgot, the group didn’t kill and the church leaders didn’t kill…it was a person who did it. Yeah right, they should not be trusted under any circumstances. They are the American Taliban. To think they won’t kill again is silly.
posted October 28, 2009 at 9:42 pm
Anti abortion leaders don’t kill, the people they stir up kill. And this is just one more attempt to stir the crazies up.
I have an immense amount of respect for the brave people, like Dr. Tiller, who risk their lives to help women and families in need.
And I have an immense amount of contempt for the cowards who urge physical action against them and for the cowards who take that action and then try to escape.
Now who can tell me any time(s) within the last year when the leadership of the RCC has spoken forcefully against such actions. And do the priests who preach against abortion also preach that the lives of those who provide abortions are as sacred as any? I don’t know; I’m asking.
posted October 29, 2009 at 10:36 am
I haven’t heard or read of the RCC or any other Church or Group coming out and speaking aganist how hate speech and hate demonstrations contribute to violent acts and murder since Dr. Tiller was killed, nnmns. Westboro Church was at a New Brunswick H.S., and at Rutgers U., Hillel yesterday, and between them a thousand students and adults came out and shouted them down. They only stayed about a half hr. at Rutgers, and the six left on their bus.
posted October 29, 2009 at 11:55 am
Is this site supposed to be used as advertising space, Tiger? 2 posts here seem to be just that.
posted October 29, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Henrietta22 I’d have my computer looked at if I were you as you obviously have a problem accessing Google!
Here is a quote from the Catholic News Service posted on 6th February 2009:
“Pro-life leaders from groups across the country were quick to denounce the murder and offer their condolences to the Tiller family. Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life, Rev. Troy Newman of Operation Rescue, and Rev. Patrick Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition, and Randall Terry were among the first to respond. Other groups were quick to join in.”
http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=33714
And again on site http://gettomass.blogspot.com/2009/06/kansas-bishops-comment-on-tiller-murder.html
“CATHOLIC BISHOPS ADDRESS THE MURDER OF DR. GEORGE TILLER
We, the four Catholic Bishops of the Dioceses of Kansas, unequivocally condemn the murder of Dr. George Tiller that occurred in Wichita earlier today. The Catholic Church believes that every human life is sacred. The murder of a human being is the gravest of crimes and is an intrinsic evil. Such an act of violence against human life is a contradiction of the most fundamental principle of the Pro-Life movement. The fact that this attack occurred in a church, a place of prayer and worship, only adds to the horror of this terrible crime. We prayerfully commend Dr. George Tiller to the mercy of God and we pray for comfort and consolation for his family and friends.
Most Reverend Joseph F. Naumann, Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas
Most Reverend Ronald M. Gilmore, Bishop of Dodge City
Most Reverend Paul S. Coakley, Bishop of Salina
Most Reverend Michael O. Jackels, Bishop of Wichita”
And on, and on, and on,,,,,,
Comparing the Westboro “church” to the many brave churches and people in the prolife movement is not a fair comparator and I suspect that you know it too!
posted October 29, 2009 at 6:26 pm
If God loves all, why is it hard to grasp why Bible verses like Pro 24:10-12 would call us to rescue those being unjustly slaughtered? How can the innocent live, unless those who murder them are stopped? Should we have no police? No courts? No laws?
Laws mean to protect good and restrain evil. It would be absurd for any law to expressly intend great harm. Mark 3:4. In situations where enforcement of the letter of a law would cause harm, the spirit of the law would be violated by enforcement, which is rightly suspended by the Necessity Defense.
This is Scott Roeder’s defense. It would be absurd to interpret Roe v. Wade as expressly intending genocide. Yet Roe said “the judiciary…is not in a position to speculate” on whether the millions of unborn slain at its direction are human beings. Roe said if triers of fact determine that they are, Roe should “collapse”.
Lower courts violate Roe by deciding the fact question which Roe said no judge is qualified to decide. (Cont’d)
(Continued from last post:) …the judges say they can’t recognize abortion as harming human beings because it is “legal”. Besides that, judges decide this fact question by themselves, before the trial begins, and order defendants not to say a word about their defense, and the only contested trial issue, to the jury, even though they tell juries they are judges of the facts. Attorneys are used to this system, but most Americans would not call this a “trial by jury”. They would call it a “trial by a judge”.
Nothing can be more illegal than what courts have done all these years to keep abortion “legal”.
Our goal is an end to violence against abortionists, and against babies, through restoring the Constitutional Right to Trial by Jury, even in abortion prevention cases.
Abortionist attorney Lee Thompson’s successful intimidation of eBay is aimed at denying Roeder access to the counsel of his choice.
By Dave Leach See http://www.saltshaker.us/Scott-Roeder-Resources.htm
posted October 29, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Dave, WHAT?? The use of eBay is a privilege, not a right. If those in charge at eBay are not willing to let this person use their service then that is their right. eBay isn’t a public utility or government entity. It’s just like the churches that will not perform wedding ceremonies for homosexuals. They provide a service at their discretion. eBay’s refusal isn’t denying Roeder anything. You’re logic is asinine.
posted October 29, 2009 at 7:37 pm
The message of my entire comment above is lost because in my rush to type that out I used ‘You’re’ when I needed to use ‘Your’. Please excuse my error.
posted October 29, 2009 at 8:51 pm
Dave you don’t seem to worry about the murder Roeder almost surely committed, or about defending him by showing he was insane or didn’t do it. You seem to want to turn his trial into a trial of established law. And you want to make a circus of his defense. And I dare say you’d love to have him acquitted in such a way it became open season on abortion providers.
I hope you continue to lose big on this.
posted October 29, 2009 at 9:31 pm
Your Name, What I posted was my truth, I never read about what Churches had to say about Hate that caused the killing of Dr. Tiller. I don’t google if I’m not researching something. Go back and read my post again, I wasn’t comparing anyone. I said I haven’t read anything from any Churches talking about Hate, as in hateful proclamations by Westboro, or signs being carried by people outside Abortion Clinics, and Synagogs with inciteful slogans, etc. Churches need to address how hate spins into violence and killing. Thanks for your info about the RCC, but I wasn’t talking about the condolences that I’m sure many Churches sent, and how every person is sacred. The reason for peoples acts of violence come from hate, and Churches I would think would be a place to look for answers as to what and why is causing hate, and work to stop it. It’s taken eleven years since Matthew Sheppard and the other gentleman who was dragged to death by people driving a car, that the new Hate Law was dedicated to. Many people were against using the word hate, now that it has passed most of the people who were against it, still are. The HATE word scares many, just think what it did to the ones who have died from it. And by the way I was talking to nnmns, pretaining to his post before mine.
posted October 29, 2009 at 11:14 pm
H22 you confuse me do you even go to church to see what they are talking about before you accuse?
posted October 30, 2009 at 1:49 am
cknuck what are you about here? Henrietta said “I haven’t heard or read of the RCC or any other Church or Group coming out and speaking aganist how hate speech and hate demonstrations contribute to violent acts and murder since Dr. Tiller was killed, nnmns.”
That’s a statement about what she’d heard and read. It wasn’t a statement about what the RCC had done. And why on earth should she go to an RC service? You could abuse yourself lots of times that way and still not know what they do or don’t talk about over, say, a year.
You seem to get your kicks trying to abuse the people who point out how wrong you so often are. Far better you should spend your time studying science (from real scientists, not creationist hacks), studying philosophy (from real philosophers, not religious hack writers) and maybe even studying logic.
Surprise me, improve yourself instead of nagging at us.
posted October 30, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Thanks nnmns, now stop nagging at me ck.
posted November 5, 2009 at 1:00 am
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posted November 5, 2009 at 11:39 pm
I completely disagree with ebay not allowing somebody to raise funds for any type of cause. Although I may not agree with the cause I still believe people should have the freedom to sell however they want as long as it is in a legal sense. Michael, is it ok if i mention this article on my blog? http://successandebay.blogspot.com/