Rudolph Charged With Atlanta bombings

Our hearts go out to the families and victims of the Atlanta bombings. Emily and I are among the few people who can truly say, “we understand how you feel.”

From the early days of the investigation of the Birmingham bombing, we have had something that the Atlanta victims did not � the name of a suspect. Even though the hope of a capture does not heal all of the wounds, it does make them easier to bare. We are happy for those involved in the Atlanta incident, in that this should give them some hope of bringing their ordeal to a close.

We are also very pleased in the hope of progress that this brings. The country is divided on the issue of abortion, and we feel that this may have kept someone from turning Rudolph in.

While the Birmingham bombing may have been partially motivated by an effort to hinder a woman�s constitutional freedom of reproductive choice, this has also been about the murder of a police officer and the attempted murder of my wife. Now that Rudolph has been charged with the Atlanta bombings, this brings new light to the true nature of this crime. It should be clear to all that bombing the Olympics had nothing to do with the abortion issue.

We also hope that this will make any who may have helped Rudolph understand that this man is accused of cold blooded murder, not of fighting for some cause. In Atlanta, “gotcha” bombs were used. These were timed to go off after officials arrived from the first explosion. We can only assume that these secondary bombs were aimed at the police, fire, and medical staff who would respond.

A small fraction of the population actually condones the murder of those who work at a clinic that provides a choice for a woman. Even though murder of an officer is not in any way justifiable, it is understandable that Police make enemies as a part of their job of enforcing the law. However, I would hope that nobody could justify the murder of a fireman or paramedic.

It is our opinion that the person responsible for these acts is a serial killer who simply likes to blow things up. The government, abortion, and gay nightclubs only serviced to provide this person with an excuse.

We say “this person” because we do believe in “innocent until proven guilty,” even though the evidence is overwhelming. Based on the tremendous effort we have seen the legal system make in this case, we feel confident that it is only a matter of time until the authorities have their opportunity to make that proof.

Even though Rudolph has not yet been found, he is already in prison. We punish people by removing their freedom. Eric cannot go out in public, cannot see a doctor if he becomes ill, and cannot have anything near a normal life. Even though it is disturbing that he has not yet been captured, the life he is living must be worse than being in a prison. At least there, he would have a roof over his head, would be feed, and would receive medical attention when needed.

It is pointless to make a plea to Rudolph to turn himself in. Bo Gritz made Rudolph an offer that was as good as it gets. Instead of asking Rudolph to turn himself in, I would like to challenge him to make his point. If he is killed during capture, he will be thought of a nut who liked explosives. His brother has said he was not against abortion. Most cannot make a connection between the Olympics and a women�s clinic. If he is innocent, then he should say so. His hiding is hindering the investigation by expending resources to hunt for him. If he was involved, then I challenge him to send in a letter saying what he hoped to accomplish. If he waits until he dies in the woods or is shot, it will be too late.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all who have shown support for us during this difficult year. Emily’s eleventh operation was this past Friday. Of the six operations since her release from the hospital, three have been to remove shrapnel, one to implant a lens in her remaining eye, one to partially repair damage to her right hand, and one to repair her left ruptured eardrum. Emily still can’t see well enough to read or drive a car, but continues to improve.

We would also like to thank the authorities for their constant effort to find Rudolph, as well as the media for continuing to keep his picture in the public eye. We are convinced that the media will play a major roll in his capture.