According to a Philadelphia grand jury report, under the administration of Tom Ridge, a pro-choice governor of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) stopped annual inspections of abortion clinics in about 1993, because of the fear that such regular inspection might result in having to close abortion clinics and diminish the number of abortion providers.
As a result, the clinic of Dr. Kermit Gosnell remained in business, despite the serious health violations recorded while inspections were still the rule. Under the administration of Gov. Ed Rendell, who also favors legalized abortion, the DOH continued its practice of ignoring annual inspections and reports of health care violations at abortion clinics.
Gov. Rendell restored the practice of inspections in 2010, after federal and local law enforcement searched Dr. Gosnell's clinic for evidence of various crimes, including illegal dispensing of controlled substances.
The search of Dr. Gosnell's clinic revealed a house of horrors, with body parts and filth strewn about. It was a "health care" facility that routinely infected the women it "treated" with venereal disease, and that killed many of its patients, as well as killing babies born live after botched abortions. Dr. Gosnell and his staff now stand charged with several murders, and with operating a racketeering enterprise.
As disturbing as the clinic was, the report's account of the DOH's deliberate policy of ignoring the horrendous conditions at the clinic is also infuriating. DOH stood by for a decade and a half, knowing that Dr. Gosnell was operating an abattoir, but taking absolutely no action whatsoever to inspect the clinic or stop the insanity.
You can read a description of events, and download the horrific grand jury report of the investigation, at this link. The grand jury report is an astonishing piece of investigative work and a great service to the public.
The report makes terribly sad reading. I would stay away from it unless you are convinced you need to know about some of the darkest consequences of the abortion industry.
While profit is not an inherent evil, abortion is. It is a mortal sin. See the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2271:
"Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law."
Dr. Gosnell's abortion clinic was not the norm. But given the DOH's reckless connivance for 15 or more years, one begins to wonder how many other Dr. Gosnells there are.
An industry built on the voluntary destruction of innocent children is a sad testament to the "love" of our culture.
ReplyDeleteGod have mercy.