But it all causes me to wonder: Can we assume anyone is watching over what is happening in Washington State's abortion clinics?
Here's some background, in case you missed the story, thanks to the media's silence on the issue:
Pennsylvania abortionist Kermit Gosnell is on trial for murdering a woman during an abortion, and for murdering babies born alive during abortions. Add to that, his clinic was a bloody, filthy, contaminated place where poor women were sometimes coerced into having their babies torn from their bodies. Unqualified staff assisted in procedures. And Dr. Gosnell also kept baby body parts in jars as mementos.
The state of Pennsylvania skipped any inspections of Gosnell's clinic until a woman died there in 2009. Officials obviously dropped the ball.
But the national media took the state's dropped ball and quietly kicked it under the couch. A small splash of coverage accompanied Gosnell's 2011 arrest; but most major news agencies have given NO coverage to the trial, underway since early this year. See Kirsten Powers' USA Today column calling attention to the "media blackout" on the case.
Given these facts, we need to ask some questions:
- Why doesn't the media want to cover this story?
- Why wasn't Dr. Gosnell's clinic inspected by the state department of health for 17 years, and why were complaints from patients ignored during those years?
- Could similar atrocities be happening here, in Washington State, right now?
The media doesn't want to hurt the abortion industry.
The media loves a gruesome and horrific story, as long as it doesn't tread on sacred ground.
Consider the coverage of the Boston Marathon bombings and the Newtown elementary school shooting. Nobody loves terrorists, and their evil acts are played up for all to see. But the pro-choice media fears that any negative publicity will put "the cause" of abortion-on-demand at risk. Some even sort of come close to admitting that's their reasoning. One reporter wrote:
"... surely those of us who are pro-choice must worry that this [the Gosnell trial story] will restrict access to abortion: that a crackdown on abortion clinics will follow, with onerous white-glove inspections; that a revolted public will demand more restrictions on late-term abortions; or that women will be too afraid of Gosnell-style crimes to seek a medically necessary abortion."The government wanted to protect the abortion industry.
Pennsylvania officials failed to inspect Dr. Gosnell's clinic for 17 years, in spite of several complaints about women's health complications and the clinic's unsanitary conditions. You see, in 1999, Pennsylvania's pro-abortion governor and his administration ended routine inspections of abortion clinics, according to the Gosnell trial grand jury report. On page 150, an official testified:
“there was a concern that if they did routine inspections, that they may find a lot of these facilities didn’t meet [the standards for getting patients out by stretcher or wheelchair in an emergency], and then there would be less abortion facilities, less access to women to have an abortion.”This could happen in Washington State.
A couple of years ago I asked the Department of Health about Washington State abortion clinic regulations. They are not regulated. The practitioners who do abortions are subject to regulation, but not the clinics. You can read about that here.
Washington State's governors--and many of our Democratic and some Republican legislators--have been unashamedly protective of Planned Parenthood and the pro-abortion agenda for years.
Right now our State Senate is considering a "sweetheart deal" for the abortion industry, requiring insurance companies and employers to cover the gruesome practice even if they have a strong moral objection to it. So you have to wonder:
- How safe are women who seek abortions in Washington State?
- How carefully and frequently does Washington State inspect abortion clinics?
- What happens if a baby is born alive during an abortion in Washington State?
- Is there a "Dr. Gosnell" butchering women and babies in Washington State right now, with officials looking the other way because they're afraid of harming the industry?
Posts
Everything about this is horrible and so sad.
ReplyDeleteI know. Talked to someone today who has always been sort of pro-choice; she had no idea this sort of thing could happen. Those poor women, treated worse than animals; those poor babies, with no one to save them. Thanks for your post, and for caring.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing this, Ramona! I'd been reading some things about this elsewhere, but your article gives such good background and with such a factual, non-judgmental approach. I love the links that you included also! Thank you for an article that I can share without feeling like I am coming across as judgmental or offensive.
ReplyDeleteWhat very kind words; thank you. Many of our pro-choice friends are squeamish about the reality of what abortion is all about, but they need to understand the facts. I hope this helps. Thank you for sharing this with others!
ReplyDelete