George Tiller

He was a brave man, and there aren't many left.

Advocates of abortion rights denounced the killing, saying it would send a renewed, frightening signal to others who provide abortions or work in clinics and to women who may consider abortions. Some described Dr. Tiller as one of about only three doctors in the country who had, under certain circumstances, provided abortions to women in their third trimester of pregnancy, and said his death would mean that women, particularly in the central United States, would have few if any options in such cases.

The authorities say (strangely, before they've investigated) that this "appears to be act of an isolated individual (he lived alone?)," but the volume of the political rhetoric has risen to levels not seen in a decade. The results are not unpredictable.