The shooting of a Winnipeg doctos has once again forced the pro-life community to reiterate its stand against all forms of violence.
Abortionist Jack Fainman was shot in the shoulder in his home November 11. As of mid-November, Fainman was in stable condition in hospital and under police guard.
Although police to date have no leads as to the identity of the shooter, many have attempted to link the incident to the pro-life movement.
Previous shootings
The Fainman shooting is reminiscent of the wounding of abortionists Garson Romalis of Vancouver in November, 1994, and Hugh Short of Hamilton, Ontario the following year. The three shootings occurred on or around Remembrance Day, and police have speculated they are connected in some way.
Jim Hughes, President of Campaign Life Coalition Canada said the pro-life movement has always denounced violence – ” … violence in the womb and the violence anyone might have committed against abortionists or abortion workers.”
Pro-life officials have long rejected violence against abortion providers, but they find themselves on the defensive in the wake of the three shootings. A 1992 firebombing of Henry Morgentaler’s abortuary in Toronto was also cited as an example of pro-life violence. Although there was no pro-life involvement in the bombing, the incident led to instigated a series of restrictive government injunctions against pro-life activity in Ontario.
Despite the rejection of violence, Niel Slykerman, president of Campaign Life Coalition Manitoba, is concerned about the public perception of the pro-life movement.
“Because of this shooting the pro-life image will be hurt,” Slykerman told The Interim. “It seems the media is pursuing the (pro-life) link more than the police.”
In a letter to a Winnipeg newspaper, Slykerman said the shooting must be seen in context. “The recent shooting of an abortion committing doctor in our city, if indeed proven to be the act of an anti-abortionist, must be seen for what it is: the action of a totally misguided, lone gunman, acting in complete isolation from a movement whose mandate includes not taking, but the saving of lives,” Slykerman said.
In a joint statement, Slykerman and Barbara LeBow of Alliance Action, said the mainstream media is too quick to associate the pro-life movement with the shootings.
“It is completely against a pro-lifer’s nature to engage in acts of violence against a fellow human being,” LeBow said. “The pro-life movement diffuses justifiable anger over violence by channelling it into peaceful, productive efforts of saving innocent lives and helping women.”
Pro-life groups far from the scene have also expressed concern over the press coverage of the Fainman shooting. Cynthia Clarke, executive director of Campaign Life Coalition, Nova Scotia, said the assailant might have been anti-abortion, but cannot be considered pro-life. “I absolutely know for a fact that it was not a pro-lifer,” Clarke told a Halifax newspaper. “We value life, even the human life of somebody who chooses to kill babies for a living.”
Possible motive
A statement from Campaign Life offered a theory that the assailant in the Fainman shooting may been someone directly affected by abortion. “Perhaps the shooter is upset that a baby known to them was killed and that they were not given information beforehand in regard to the child.”
While abortion supporters have readily made the connection between the shootings and the pro-life movement, police investigating the case are more reserved. A Winnipeg police inspector suggested to reporters that the shooting is abortion-related, but that “at the end of the day that may prove to be wrong.”
