Florida Suspect Firebombed Clinic Due To "Strong Disbelief in Abortion"

Police believe they have now found the man responsible for a New Year’s Eve fire at a Pensacola clinic that provides abortions, and that the motive was simply that he was against abortion.

According to the Washington Post, Bobby Joe Rogers, a homeless man who often was seen in the area across the street from the American Family Planning clinic, intentionally set the blaze using a beer bottle full of gasoline and a t-shirt. After starting the fire, he then admitted to waiting at the car wash across the street while he watched the fire catch and spread.

His motive? He was “strongly” against abortion. ”Rogers admitted to intentionally setting fire to the clinic due to his strong disbelief in abortion,” the affidavit stated, and “he stated (he) was further fueled when he recently witnessed a young female entering the clinic while he was sitting amongst anti-abortion protesters.”

The clinic had been the focal point of not only previous violence and firebombing, but repeated protests by anti-abortion groups hoping to provide “sidewalk counseling” to the women entering in an attempt to talk them out of having an abortion. The clinic, which is the only one to provide abortions in the city, is a frequent and recent target of 40 Days For Life Pensacola, who have “denounced” the arson while at the same time reminding their followers that ending abortion “is a matter of LIFE and DEATH. We cannot afford to sit back.”

How can such inflammatory rhetoric not be expected to incite violence by those who follow them? And what exactly was the group saying that would make an man who was against abortion believe that burning down the clinic was the right thing to do?

Photo by Eternalsleeper at Wikimedia Commons

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Ann S.

4:29PM PST on Jan 19, 2012

Amazing how these actual murderers of fully developed, independent human beings talk out of one side of their mouths about protecting a collection of cells or fetuses unable to exist independently from "murderers".

send a green star

Past Member .

9:44AM PST on Jan 11, 2012

Crazy people..........nothing more dangerous than "a fool with a cause"

Mark S.

2:29AM PST on Jan 10, 2012

I keep saying this over and over. These lunatics are NOT PRO-LIFE. They are pro-fetus. A fetus to them has more rights than those that already have been born. Many "pro-lifers" will deny government aid to the baby once it's BORN. So, the born may starve to death or die from lack of medical care. And a lot of these "pro-life" people who favor the death penalty, and killing those that perform abortions.
Pro-Life my butt. It's more like "PRO CONTROL WOMEN'S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS"

Martha E.

9:39PM PST on Jan 9, 2012

There may not have been a murder this time, but there was murderous intent! These right-to-LIFErs know nothing about LIFE.

Chuck D.

7:52PM PST on Jan 9, 2012

I wonder if Rogers ever considered adopting a child to stop the mother from having an abortion...somehow, I doubt it, given that most of these anti-choice zealots couldn't care less what happens to those "unborn children" once they're out of the womb.

5:21PM PST on Jan 9, 2012

Oh, and an FYI for Kath N. - A mass of cells without so much as a spinal cord/brain stem is NOT a human being.. it's just a mass of cells. Consciousness cannot exist without a functional brain, my dear. Or are you one of those people who believes that human consciousness resides in what religion refers to as a "soul", which obviously can be parked anywhere that they find unscientifically convenient?

Lynda D.

11:36AM PST on Jan 9, 2012

One may not believe in abortion so don't have one. But just because one does not believe in abortion, doesn't mean that gives one the right to harm others. Get your own house in order!

Richard M.

7:44AM PST on Jan 9, 2012

I wonder how Bobby Joe Rogers would feel about someone fire-bombing his home because of their personally held "strong disbelief" in people who fire-bomb reproduction care centers or harrass women exercising their constritutional rights? Do you think he'd be as enthusiastic about someone who holds an opposing opinion resorting to the same level of extreme activism as he appropriated for himself? (I kinda doubt it.)

Jermane H.

5:33AM PST on Jan 9, 2012

Yet another Christian going way, way too far. God is pro-life, yes, so why would you jeopardize killing someone?

joe M.

5:53PM PST on Jan 8, 2012

Saliane A. Your outrage is understandable. However, it's not as simple as viewing a video when your mind has been programmed by religious false prophets that their god commands the destruction of who does not believe in the teaching of their faith. Islam radicals are programmed the same and you're knowledgable of their attrocites towards those who dire deface Allah their god. Religion has a lot to answer for. That's why here in America we must resist the take over of our government by the religious fundamentalist.Watch out for Rick Santorum he is hell bent on wiping out women rights. Spread the word to your friends not to vote for this nut. We don't like his policies here in Pa.