On Sunday morning, a person was murdered while serving as an usher at his local church. George Tiller had no other intentions at that time but to worship alongside the congregation, but tragically, he was killed in cold blood by someone who evidently undervalued human life.

When I read the paper on Tuesday morning, I was dismayed to see the political cartoon. Amid the rows of headstones lay a newspaper, which read “Late-term abortion doctor killed. Pres. Obama ‘shocked and outraged.’”

The intended irony is obvious, but I question whether it is a justifiable or appropriate portrayal. Remember, a man was gunned down on a Sunday morning in a church, a sanctuary.

Aren’t shock and outrage reasonable responses to a heinous murder? At this point, I am aware that one may experience a knee-jerk reaction to my question, calling me to recall Dr. Tiller’s career. However, I am not attempting to obscure that fact, but I cannot consider his employment in conjunction with his death without perceiving a grisly and inverted quid pro quo understanding, where his murder is mitigated due to his profession.

Without advocating a particular position or rubber stamping the President’s words, I just wanted us to take another look at this cartoon. There’s nothing to laugh at. It is a scene overshadowed with death and grief, no matter what your political affiliation. Then, there’s the paper with its headline of the President’s reaction to the murder.

I believe that we should all be shocked and outraged when someone is brutally murdered, and I expect that we seek justice in these situations. Yet I find it egregiously unjust when we allow political rhetoric to confuse the matter at hand.

A premeditated murder was committed, and we must face the crime resolutely.

Subsequently, we may consider the issue of abortion. Otherwise, we may be tempted to accept that illogical line of reasoning previously mentioned. To rephrase, it is not as if his life is more important than others, but his life must not be devalued in order to make a statement as done by the murderer and this cartoon, which leads to my last point: It is a cartoon that I could envision the killer endorsing, and I ask you to consider it, as well.

Instead of hoisting up platforms, let us comfort those who have suffered from injustice and resolve them. Of course, this process will involve conflict, and often results will be found wanting, but these obstacles should neither deter us from action nor induce us to demean others, lest we should dishonor justice in our pursuit of it.

Alex Allain

Natchez resident