Many of us are thinking what kinds of risks we are willing to take as individuals to regain our reproductive rights. Dr. LeRoy Carhart, whose obituary appeared in the May 1, 2023 edition of the New York Times, was a man who lived with a target on his back because he was an abortionist— a label he did not eschew. His obituary probably also appeared in the Omaha-World Herald, because it was in Nebraska where he dedicated himself to women’s health, specifically contraception and abortion.  More specifically, late-term abortions.

As you will read in the Times’ obituary linked here, he made women’s health his life’s work after a 1991 fire destroyed his farm, and killed his dog, cat and 17 of his 21 horses. The fire had been set in retaliation for his performing abortions.  As is said in his obituary, Dr. Carhart waxed philosophical that a perfect world would have no abortions; and yet he recognized that he did not live in a perfect world. He believed that no one —except mothers —knew when life began.  The obituary concludes with his daughter estimating that over the course of his life, her father “trained 300 - 500 doctors in how to perform an abortion.” 

Just an FYI:  Dr. Carhart was a Methodist, a 21-year veteran of the Air Force, and a registered Republican.