Usually called the doctor. Or the caretaker.

So last night I went to a local rally held by the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada. They read a prepared statement by a local politician condemning anti-abortion violence, and there were several speeches by people in the abortion provider community and the local activist community praising Dr Tiller and the work he did. Doctors in BC often referred patients to Dr Tiller, I found. Canada doesn't allow third trimester abortions for any reason, so patients would have to go to the States.

The crowd was very positive and very polite, there wasn't a protest and in fact only one person showed up to heckle, which they did rather incoherently. I felt really good about the rally, and about my presence there. Dr Tiller's murder hit me hard, because it happened in Kansas, and I felt better for being able to come together with like-minded people, mourn his death, and celebrate his life and his life's work, even though I'm so far away. Dr Tiller was really influential in the abortion-provider community, even in Canada. Several of the people who spoke at the rally knew him personally and counted him a good friend, and I felt somehow comforted by that.

I was sort of amused by how, unconsciously, I really expected there to be Phelpies there and was surprised when there weren't any. But so, yes, it was fairly well-attended considering everything (fifty people, maybe), it was nice (though I have to say that I am not a fan of the standard activist singalong, but what can you do), and I think that it was not inappropriate in any way to Dr Tiller's life, work, or memory.

I'm glad I went.