Woman throws molotov at prolife activists.

[Wisconsin9]

This is just as bad as attacks on providers.

[Ifreann]

This attack is disgusting. This woman was acting like a communist revolutionary against peaceful activists.

Molotov cocktails aren't thrown by communists, they're thrown at communists.

[Wisconsin9]

This attack is disgusting. This woman was acting like a communist revolutionary against peaceful activists.

Molotov cocktails aren't thrown by communists, they're thrown at communists.

Real men drink booze that's on fire and mixed with shards of glass.

[Scomagia]

Well, that was certainly an inflammatory response.

*crickets*

Anyone?


Seriously, though, that's not acceptable behavior. I'm not sure what else there is to say about this, really.

[Urran]

I would say something very twisted (which would be my standpoint) but everyone would hate me for it, so I'll tone it down a little; I don't think this is a bad thing. Taught those conservative, Christian zealots what is coming to them.

Do you even know what zealot means? I don't think it means what you think it means.

[Ifreann]

Well, that was certainly an inflammatory response.

*crickets*

Anyone?


Seriously, though, that's not acceptable behavior. I'm not sure what else there is to say about this, really.

There oughta be a law against this sort of thing.



There already is? Carry on, then.

[The Orson Empire]

As much as I disagree with pro-life activists, this was unacceptable. You can't go around throwing molotov cocktails at people.

[Cannot think of a name]

I'm a little reluctant to take a Brietbart take on someone else's news story, so since Brietbart was kind enough to mention where the story came from, I went and checked it out.

Some important elements:

When officers interviewed Toney, she initially denied everything but later admitted to throwing the bottle and that it “might” have been smoldering when she threw it out of her window, according to an affidavit. The court document did not specify Toney’s motive and if she was specifically targeting the protestors or the abortion clinic.
...
Gardner said in her experience, people who retaliate are angry from an abortion in their past or have some sort of tie to it. But it is still unclear about Toney’s background.

Maybe I missed that ambiguity in the Brietbart article.

Other little bits, not as important:

After inspecting the bottle, arson investigators determined it was a Molotov cocktail that did not ignite due to the fact that it landed in a soft, grassy area, according to court documents. It states the bottle was a “gum out fuel additive” that had a burned piece of paper towel rolled up into a wick, which had been burned from being lit.

According to the executive director of Central Texas Coalition for Life, the group was able to record part of the suspect’s license plate number before she drove away, which led police to 52-year-old Melanie Toney. Toney was pulled over less than three miles away from the clinic.

The message from the Planned Parenthood clinic where this happened:

KXAN spoke with Planned Parenthood before police released any information about the woman accused of throwing the Molotov cocktail who agree that violence is not the answer.

“The health and safety of Planned Parenthood patients and employees is of our most concern. All individuals that are anywhere near or properties we want to remain safe, much like the core value of the city of Austin, we want this community to be safe,” said Ken Lambrecht, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas. He said they condemn violence of any sort. “We’re just thankful that all of our staff, visitors and those near our facilities are safe and healthy today.”

Predictably the only people outside of local stations carrying this are places like Brietbart and anti-abortion websites. So...that's pretty much it.

Regardless of why she threw it or who her intended victim was, it's obviously a messed up thing to do. Not sure what else there is to discuss.

[Furry Alairia and Algeria]

Neither of the actions taken by both the woman or the pro-life executive director are justified.

First, we have a act of violence. Then, we have a act of generalization.

I can say that the act of violence is worse, but the act of generalization, and using this as a way to label all pro-choices as the people perpetrating a so called, nonexistent, "culture of death".

Basically the violence was against the law and the pro-life people acted like assholes.

Both people were assholes in this case, and their's no denying it. The pro-life people here are really painting a bad image for the people of pro-life, and the same can possibly be said with pro-choice woman who threw the molotov, if she is pro-choice.

[Pope Joan]

Violence is categorically worse than protected speech or assembly.

[Atlanticatia]

Sources: Breitbart and 'Life News'.

[Meryuma]

Your bias is showing.

Crazy whore? I could've labled the woman any other term, not really bias.

Yes it is; it's a gendered slur that attacks her sexual expression rather than her political actions. You wouldn't call a man a whore in the same circumstance.

[Lunalia]

I find it very hard to read this.

After pro lifers bomb abortion clinics, threaten doctors who perform abortions, harass abortion clinic workers... the woman who throws a molotov at pro lifers is "suffering from past experiences"?

I don't see how the representatives of the pro life group can say the things they are saying with a straight face. I really can't. So their disgusting violence is good, but when someone else uses their tactics against them suddenly they aren't okay?

[Arkotania]

While the attack was just despicable, I find it amusing that the pro-lifeds quickly took advantage of the situation and decided that the woman might possibly just be lashing out because of a past abortion(implied by the fact they decided to bring it up when discussing the attack).

Then the board president goes ahead and calls pro-choice folk promoters of a "culture of death" and that they are violent and evil, and they don't understand the pro-lifers only want to promote peace. Someone isn't aware of what is pretty much considered Christian Terrorism. Pro-lifers don't have a very squeaky record and seem to be fond of promoting a culture of explosives.

Adding violence from either side sure as hell doesn't support their arguements.

[AiliailiA]

Obviously endangering people by throwing petrol bombs is not acceptable. No, not even if the protestors had been threatening people or even being violent to people. There's just no way to spin throwing a petrol bomb from a car as "self defense".

So with the bullshit entrapment thesis of this thread out of the way ...

I find it very interesting that one of the protestors immediately leaps to the conclusion that anyone who throws a petrol bomb at/near them is a "woman who had an abortion". Like it's not possible for anyone to have strong feelings about abortion unless they had one themselves ...

[Edgy Opinions]

Oh, please, Americans have a right to abortion. You change unjust laws with the correct lawsuits.

It's not like she was in some country with terrible abortion laws. And even then it'd be ridiculous to attack the people rather than the politicians. Speaking of them, if you're going to attack some of them, take an opportunity and go straight to a communist revolution. Then don't worry about patriarchy anymore.

[Dakini]

Does the OP have a source other than Breitbart, which references LifeNews? Both of these websites are known to make up bullshit.

[The Romulan Republic]

Any chance we could get a better source than Breitbart?

[Dakini]

I'm not a monotheist.

No, really? What does that have to do with this argument? You support a crazy whore trying to kill innocents?

I like how you object to the use of the word "zealot", but you're totally fine with describing women who are seeking abortion "crazy whores".

[AiliailiA]

Does the OP have a source other than Breitbart, which references LifeNews? Both of these websites are known to make up bullshit.

http://kxan.com/2015/03/23/woman-outsid ... wn-at-her/

http://www.kvue.com/story/news/local/20 ... /70362102/

http://www.myfoxaustin.com/story/286052 ... life-group

All sources agree on some things (name, age, brand name of the fuel additive bottle) and even Fox sought a statement from Planned Parenthood.

Brietbart's contribution was to leave lots of stuff out (including comments from a protestor who rather bravely extinguished the bottle) and add interviews with some people from the protest group, who I think weren't even there.

[Dakini]

That is still bad.

hmm. it is. i was initially confused but it would basically reverse the nature of the attack.

Indeed. If she was throwing it at the building (which happened to be surrounded by people who are harassing patients), it might have landed short and fallen among the people harassing patients, even if they were not the intended target.

People shouldn't be throwing around Molotov cocktails anyway, but the attacker's motivation would be entirely different (not that either Breitbart or LifeNews would have any interest in reporting an attack on a Planned Parenthood clinic since they'd both support this action).

[Consumer Regulated Donuts]

(Preliminary note that I am pro-choice, and I recognize that the majority of forum is pro-choice)

It's almost like there are bad people on both sides of this issue, but some pro-lifers will never let you hear that.

[Thermodolia]

Well, that was certainly an inflammatory response.

*crickets*

Anyone?

[AiliailiA]

Pictures from the sources show the Gumout bottle to have a red label.

The most closely matching one on the gumout website is the "gas treatment" one.
Bigger picture and some details of the "gas treatment" product here.

There's a health warning on the label, but no flammable liquid warning. Perhaps that's normal in the US/Texas? Selling flammable liquid without a warning?

[Thermodolia]

Pictures from the sources show the Gumout bottle to have a red label.

The most closely matching one on the gumout website is the "gas treatment" one.
Bigger picture and some details of the "gas treatment" product here.

There's a health warning on the label, but no flammable liquid warning. Perhaps that's normal in the US/Texas? Selling flammable liquid without a warning?

Not that i'm aware of. If it's flammable they'll have a sticker on it.