Rudolph meets his fate

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Eric Rudolph will finally meet his fate on Monday, when he is sentenced after pleading guilty to four bombing attacks, including the Olympics bombing at Centennial Park in Atlanta. Where does this leave us?

I can tell you that I was disappointed earlier this year that we didn’t get the full trial proceedings, that Rudolph punked out and pleaded guilty. It was such an anti-climatic ending to the whole saga. Since then, we’ve gotten a closer look at Rudolph through some of his writings, detailed in a couple of USA Today stories (and here) that were pretty good, as well as the statement he released.

On Monday, we’ll hear from the victims. Emily Lyons, the nurse injured in the attack on an abortion clinic in Georgia, and others will finally get their chance to address Rudolph directly. It should be another emotional day.

Again, where does that leave us? It’s interesting that Rudolph’s sentencing comes as political forces are gearing up for a ferocious battle over the next Supreme Court nominee in the wake of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s retirment. Justice Rehnquist is sick and old.

It’s all playing out with the abortion rights issues just off to the corner. Rudolph saw himself as a footsoldier in this cultural war over abortion, a war that could well turn on the political battles now gearing up to be played out.

There’s no telling who will win in the end. This battle is far from over.