Kansas is deadly epicenter in abortion debate

'Extremists on both sides'
That contributes to the unending abortion battle: "It's an unsettled debate that produces extremists on both sides."

Peter Brownlie, as CEO of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, has been on the front lines on the conflict for a decade and describes Kansas as "the epicenter of the abortion debate."

"There is a very clear and growing gap between the general public and the political leaders who are committed to this being such a constant and volatile issue," Brownlie said. "On issues relating to family planning, abortion, sex education, Kansans' views are not markedly different from most Americans — but there are political forces at work, some of them well beyond the state borders."

Conflicts over social issues go back to Kansas' early days. It became a state in 1861 amid the sometimes violent battle over slavery, was among the forerunners in granting voting rights to women, and also attracted Carrie Nation with her anti-liquor crusade.

In the past decade, Kansas public schools have had five sets of science testing standards because of debate about how evolution should be taught. Twice, a conservative-led Board of Education rewrote the standards to convey skepticism of evolution, leading to international ridicule and a voter backlash that elected new board majorities and restored evolution-friendly standards.

"The state used to be a very liberal place," said Tom Frank, Kansas-born author of the 2004 political best-seller "What's the Matter With Kansas?"

"Tiller was kind of a relic of that Kansas. ... He had that sense of Kansas stubbornness," Frank said. "The anti-abortion movement personalized the fight, made it about him. ... It's one Kansas colliding with another."

More on  George Tiller |  abortion

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