ANTI-ABORTION

78 Pages·2006·0.79 MB·English

ABSTRACT
TitleofThesis: FEAR AND DARKNESS: ANTI-ABORTION
TERRORISM ANDTHEUNITEDSTATES SUPREME
COURT
Brad Bartholomew,MasterofArts
Thesis Directedby: ProfessorRayPaternoster
Department ofCriminologyand Criminal Justice
Relativedeprivationtheory(Davies,1962)suggests that acts ofanti-abortion
terrorism result from the general wideningofthe gapbetweentheindividual’s goals and
expectations toapoint ofintolerance,whereas rational choicetheory(Cornishand
Clarke, 1986)sees suchacts as theproduct oftheindividual’s cost/benefit analysis. This
thesis endeavors toimproveuponourknowledge ofthecausal mechanisms associated
withanti-abortionterrorism,withinthecontext ofrelativedeprivationtheoryand rational
choicetheoryusingamacro-level researchdesign.
Theresults ofthis studysuggest certainSupreme Court decisions havea
significant influenceon whethersomewithinthe pro-lifecommunityview theuseof
violenceas an appropriatemethodofprotest. Additionally,theresults suggest that anti-
abortionoffenders make decisions accordingto arational,cost/benefit analysis. This
suggests that policymakers mayeffectivelyreducethenumberof anti-abortionattacks by
raisingthepenalties associatedwiththecrime.
FEAR AND DARKNESS:1
ANTI-ABORTIONTERRORISM ANDTHEUNITEDSTATES SUPREMECOURT
By
Brad Bartholomew
Thesis submittedtothefacultyoftheGraduateSchool ofthe
UniversityofMaryland, CollegeParkinpartial fulfillment
oftherequirements forthedegreeof
MasterofArts
2006
AdvisoryCommittee:
ProfessorRayPaternoster,Chair
Professor LauraDugan
ProfessorGaryLaFree
1“AndIfearforthedarknessasfourJusticesanxiouslyawaitthesinglevotenecessarytoextinguishthe
light”(JusticeHarryA.Blackmun,PlannedParenthoodofSoutheasternPennsylvaniav.Casey505U.S.
833(1992).
©Copyright by
Brad Bartholomew
2006
ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Iwouldliketothank,RayPaternoster, LauraDuganandGaryLaFreefortheir
continuedguidance andinsight as members ofan exceptional thesis advisory
committee. Iwouldalso liketothank LauraDugan forprovidingthe
encouragement that helpedthis student tobelieveinhis workand inhimself.
Finally, IwouldliketothankJaqlynSmith,JoshHinkle,SusanFahey, and Nancy
Morris for yourinvaluablesuggestions,critiques,andpatienceformymany
questions. Truly,this thesis couldnot havebeen completedwithout theirhelpand
support.
iii
Tableof Contents
List ofTables iv
List of Figures v
Chapter1: Introduction 1
Pro-choice andPro-life AbortionRulings 3
Chapter2: LiteratureReview 16
RelativeDeprivationTheory 16
RelativeDeprivationand Anti-abortionTerrorism 20
GenderRoles andPower Relations 21
Religious Fundamentalism 23
Rational ChoiceandFrustration 24
Limitations withPrevious Research 26
Chapter3: ResearchQuestion 28
Chapter4: Data andMethods 30
Statistical Methodology 32
Chapter5: Results 38
Chapter6: DiscussionandConclusion 49
Limitations 54
Practical Implications 55
Conclusion 57
Appendix A: Model Diagnostics forMulticolinearity 59
Appendix B: Model Diagnostics forNon-linearRelationships 61
Works Cited 65
iv
Listof Tables
Table1: CuriaeCaseRankings 5
Table2: DescriptiveStatistics forVariables 38
Table3: Model Results 46
v
Listof Figures
Figure0: CuriaeCaseRankingBarGraph 6
Figure1: NeedSatisfactionandRevolution 18
Figure2: Anti-abortion Attacks: 1970-2003 40
Figure3: Evangelicals perCapita 42
Figure4: Annual U.S.AbortionRate 43
Figure5: Annual U.S.Female/Male IncomeRatio 44
1
Chapter1: Introduction
“achill windblows.”2-JusticeHarryBlackmun
It canbesaidthat TheUnitedStates SupremeCourt (theCourt)is themost
influential legal bodywithrespect totheissueof abortion. Enteringthe frayin1973
throughthe caseofRoe v. Wade(1973),theCourt ruledinfavorofthedefendant,one
NormaMcCorvey, anunwed,pregnant, Texas woman whoclaimedthestate’s anti-
abortionlaws wereaviolationofherconstitutional rights. Thefallout from thedecision
was profound. Literallyovernight, restrictive abortionlaws inthirty-onestates were
deemedunconstitutional onthegrounds that theydidnot sufficientlyprotect awoman’s
right toprivacy(Faux,1988). Pro-lifeactivists scrambledinan attempt tonationalize
theirvoicethroughthe creationofsuch groups as theNational Right to Life Committee
(NRLC), andotherorganizations dedicatedtooverturningRoe(Blanchard, 1994).
AlthoughtheNRLC’s methods ofoperationwere peaceful,a growingsenseoffrustration
amongst anincreasinglyunifiedpro-life community,eventuallyledtoanincreaseinthe
numberofviolent andillegal anti-abortionprotests.
Today,33 years later,the topicofabortionandabortion-related conflict remains
omnipresent withinthenation’s consciousness. This is evidencedbytherecent
confirmations oftwoconservativeSupremeCourt justices (Babington,2005; Stout,
2006),asteadyriseinthenumberpro-lifedemonstrations outsideofabortionclinics,
(National AbortionFederation, 2006),andthecurrent enactment of restrictiveabortion
2ThesearetheremarksofJusticeBlackmuninhisdissentingopinionontheCourt’s5-4decisioninthe
caseofWebsterv.ReproductiveHealthServices492U.S.490(1989). Heisalludingtowhatheseesasthe
nationaladvancementofthepro-lifeagendaandthecurtailingofpro-choiceinterests.
2
legislationinSouthDakotaandMissouri (Nieves, 2006; BritishBroadcastingCompany,
2006). Indeed, abortion evokes awide arrayof responses. Althoughprevious research
has shownthemajorityofpost-Roeabortionprotests tendtobeseenas peaceful
(Kenney,2002),thereremainthosewhouseviolenceandotherillegal means toachieve
theirgoals. Examples spanfrom themildlyviolent useofbutyricacidinclinic
ventilationsystems tothepre-meditatedmurderof clinicstaff(Mason,2002). Protestors
whousesuchtactics against pro-choice advocates, abortionclinics,andclinicstaff
members engageinwhat is commonlyreferredto as acts ofanti-abortionterrorism
(Kaplan,1993).
This begs thequestionofwhat exactlyanact ofterrorism is. Unfortunately,the
worldcommunityhas yet tobenefit from thecreationofauniversal definition. This can
bebest explainedbythe fact that not everyone considers anattackon anabortionclinic,
government entity,occupyingmilitaryforce,etc.tobeaterrorist act. Thereis however, a
certainamount of agreement amongst thevarious definitions ofterrorism. This is
evidenced bythefact that most definitions regard terrorism as apolitical concept
(Hoffman,1998). TheUniversityofMaryland,whosedefinition Ishall basethecurrent
study,is noexception:
Thethreatenedor actual useofillegal forceand violencetoattaina
political,economic,religious orsocial goal throughfear, coercionor
intimidation.
Althoughthedefinitionofterrorism against abortionproviders mayseem trivial tosome,
thefallout from suchacts has garnered the attentionofanation. Indeed,theseattacks
3
haveresultedinsevenmurders (National AbortionFederation,2006), countless injuries,
andapervasivesenseof fearinthe years followingtheRoev. Wade(1973) decision.
Thecurrent paucityof researchonthecauses ofanti-abortionterrorism belies its
importance,and giventherecent events mentionedabove,researchonthis areais needed
nowmorethanever. It remains unclearas towhenananti-abortionterrorist is most
likelytoact,or whetherthereexists auniversal triggerforthesecrimes.This research
endeavors to addtotheexistingliteraturebyprovidinganswers tothesequestions,and in
doingso,foster abetterunderstandingforthe causes ofanti-abortionterrorism. The
uniquedataset which Iemployforthepurposes ofthis studyallows meto dothis through
apreviouslyyet tobeattemptedtimeseries analysis ofthelinkbetweenanti-abortion
terrorism andanationallyappliedstimulus. Specifically, Ishall analyzetherelationship
betweenpro-lifeandpro-choiceU.S.SupremeCourt abortionrulings andthenationwide
numberofanti-abortion terrorist attacks from 1977-2003. All analyses originate within
theframeworkofRelativeDeprivationTheory(Davies,1962). First, Iwill discuss the
most influential ofthepro-choice and pro-lifeSupremeCourt abortionrulings.Then, I
shall explorethecurrent literaturewithrespect toanti-abortionterrorism andrelative
deprivation.
Pro-choice& Pro-lifeAbortion Rulings
AlthoughSupremeCourt cases arerarelyblackor whitewithrespect towhich
sideoftheabortiondebatetherulingcomplies with,most ifnot all Court abortionrulings
containadiscernableand definitivepro-choiceor pro-lifebent. Forthepurposes ofthis
study, Iregard all pro-choiceCourt abortionrulings as thosehavingthenet effect of