Why Dr. Kermit Gosnell’s Trial Should Be a Front-Page Story

The grand jury report in the case of Dr. Kermit Gosnell, 72, is among the most horrifying I’ve read. “This case is about a doctor who killed babies and endangered women. What we mean is that he regularly and illegally delivered live, viable babies in the third trimester of pregnancy – and then murdered these newborns by severing their spinal cords with scissors,” it states.

— Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic

The moment we see the word “abortion” – most of us have already made a judgment about a person or an piece of writing.  So let me just preface this post by saying that this is not an opinion piece about the ongoing debate on abortion.  Policy is important.  But to jump to policy is to reduce Dr. Gosnell’s crimes from what it is:  Horror.

Notice, this article is not from Fox or WSJ.  It is from The Atlantic.  And that is part of the story – why have we not seen more of this from even the right side of the media, or much of the media at all.

But I dare you to read through this whole article and not begin weeping, not wanting to throw up, not wanting to do something out of violent indignation.  I want to share a word of hope, a word of exhortation.  But I am too horrified.  Usually people say that just to CYA before offering a strident opinion.  But I am truly and disgustingly horrified.

The only thing that comes to mind is that Christ weeps for those babies.  Christ was with those babies.  And Christ died with those babies.  For whatever you did to or for the least of these, you also did unto me.

Lord, teach us how to pray.