-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
If the forced-pregnancy crowd continues to win its war on legal abortion, the future of abortion will be personified by Dr. Kermit Gosnell, pictured at left with his “clinic” in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The grand jury’s report on the Gosnell Women’s Medical Services clinic (pdf) is available for those who have the stomach for “a house of horrors.” Gosnell is on trial for 7 counts of first-degree murder regarding the deaths of seven babies, and one count of third-degree murder for the death of a female patient. Many conservatives pundits think there should be greater media coverage. Be careful what you wish for.
Gosnell’s clientele were poor women, predominately of color, who couldn’t afford a legitimate abortion provider since Medicaid doesn’t cover most abortions. Poor people receiving substandard medical care, since when is this the focus of the media?
Some of Gosnell’s survivors intended to go to the Planned Parenthood clinic, a few miles away, but were scared away by the protesters at the Planned Parenthood clinic. The protesters were at the location where abortion was being performed at a high level of medical competence, while there were no protesters at Gosnell’s “clinic.” Maybe the media could ask the anti-abortion protesters why they didn’t picket at Gosnell’s “clinic?” Maybe the media could ask the forced-pregnancy crowd if unrestrained access to safe abortion facilities decreases the likelihood of future Gosnells.
Maybe the media could ask the forced-pregnancy crowd if denying hospital privileges to abortion providers increases the danger to their patients’ health.
The era of safe medical abortions is coming to an end. The demand for abortions has been and will always be there, and it is reasonable to foresee more Gosnells as the result, in addition to attempts at self-induced abortions.
One small glimmer of hope is the ruling by Judge Edward R. Korman, United States district judge serving on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Recently J. Korman ruled in the case of Tummino v. Hamburg, a case involving Kathleen Sebelius’ (Secretary of Health and Human 
Services) overruling the FDA and denying over-the-counter (OTC) access to Plan B. In a well-reasoned and detailed ruling, J. Korman found “the Secretary’s action was politically motivated, scientifically unjustified, and contrary to agency precedent” in addition to being “arbitrary, capricious, and unreasonable.” J. Korman reversed the FDA decision and remanded. The Obama administration has yet to decide if it will waste millions of taxpayer dollars on a meritless appeal.
Plan B One-Step, at OTC prices and availability, will, if taken within 72 hours, reduce the chance of pregnancy by 89 percent. This will be a severe setback for the forced-pregnancy crowd. There will be no pharmacist with “religious objections” to interfere with the sale. The forced-pregnancy crowd will claim that Plan B is an abortifacient. This lie was noted by J. Korman who referenced a GAO report that Plan B:
interferes with prefertilization events. It reduces the number of sperm cells in the uterine cavity, immobilizes sperm, and impedes further passage of sperm cells into the uterine cavity. In addition, [Pan B] has the capacity to delay or prevent ovulation from occurring.
The forced-pregnancy crowd will claim that Plan B is not safe. However, J. Korman wrote that Plan B has no “known serious or long-term side effects, though they may have some mild short-term side effects, such as nausea, fatigue, and headache.” Plan B gives women the same control over reproduction that the condom does for men.
H/T: Sarah Posner, Scott Lemieux, Kate Michelman, PZ Myers, Jonathan H. Adler, NPR.
Bron, How dare you introduce science into this all emotion debate!
rafflaw:
am I wrong in understanding that planned parenthood recieves between 300-500 million dollars from the federal government every year?
mike spindell:
abortion kills human life, there is no way you can say it doesnt. life begins at conception. We can argue whether abortion is right or not but the fact remains that you are destroying human life.
I dont think the state should be involved in anway but life is being destroyed.
Where the ill-named “Right to Life” movement has sadly succeeded is in creating a meme equating abortion to killing. The truth is that it is only certain religions that believe this and it is certainly not scientifically valid. The meme is also a cover for the fact that the entire anti-abortion movement is really a movement to stifle the equality of women. The anti-abortionists love fetuses, but hate women and their babies also.
Bruce, I am still waiting for an answer to this question: why do you feel the need to butt into the private medical affairs of your fellow citizens and tell them which legal procedures they can and cannot have?
Are you open to me examining your medical records for any treatments I might find offensive? I better not see any vasectomies or Viagra, buddy, or else! ELSE, I say!
“don’t recall who said it, but i believe this sums it up. ideally, abortions should be … and rare.”
When you put it that way, it sounds as through there is something wrong with abortion, but we “know” that only [fill in the intended pejorative] believe abortion is wrong.
Hubert Cumberdale:
Not true:
Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States
Eighty-eight percent of abortions occur in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy
Abortion is war against life trying to keep as many souls out of Gods kingdom. There are many ways people war against life. People have to stop warring against life.
“forced pregnancy crowd”??? This blog is like a train wreck. You don’t want to look at it, but you do anyway. Being that the majority of abortions performed are done out of convenience for the living, no one is “forcing pregnancy” on anyone. If anything, the liberal wingnut claptrap pushing promiscuity on just about any given TV program, and music, etc… THOSE are the once “forcing pregnancy”. The problem is, no one wants to take responsibility and choose abortion as an easy fix – nevermind abortion is the killing of an innocent unborn human life.
Which leads me into my next point – Dr. Kermit Gosnell… This isn’t the future of abortion, this IS abortion. This lowlife scumbag was killing babies (of course the babies still inside the womb, but ALSO the babies that survived the abortion and made it outside of the womb, still alive). This is what abortion is, right now. This is what abortion always is. But so many want to deny what it is… oh, it’s just a “choice” they say… the same crowd that doesn’t want the mother to be to see a ultrasound before the abortion.
That would be the “forced baby killers”…
We need more morning after pills. We also need to do something about these guys with leaky rubbers.
The more people loving like Jesus loves the better. People are fixated on earthly things not heavenly things. Heavenly things are eternal.
If you outlaw abortions, only outlaws will have abortions. What is wrong with that?
People need to value life seeking the eternal things that Jesus sought. Have people do that a law against abortion will not be needed. People will value life like Jesus valued it. The law of unconditional love will rule.
James Knauer @1:06pm
well said
don’t recall who said it, but i believe this sums it up. ideally, abortions should be safe, legal, and rare.
Bron. If your stupid enough to have sex without protection your offspring can’t be too bright
All now good chiropractic upcspine or upper cervical heath centers. So called sexual protection is a joke. God never gave any such instructions. A froward unfriendly person is to God not to bright.
Raff; What do you think planed parenthood does and who do you think funds it.
Great Article Nal!
I have litte knowledge about abortion. So I have questions: Are ‘late term’ abortions legal in the US? What is the definition of ‘late term abortions?’
Although I am very uneasy about aborting a 4-6 month old fetus, on the other hand, why would anyone want to force a woman to carry a baby for 9 months? Can a 4-6 month old fetus be removed from a woman’s body and still survive in another type of environment (just speculating…I don’t really know)?
Or does the woman (or married couple) have the right to say: “I don’t want the 4-6 month old fetus to live inside or outside of me?”
I do think that the 72 hour pill/Plan B is a great OTC asset for women in preventing pregnancies.
Bruce:
how so? many people of average intelligence have smart children. Otherwise we would all have average intelligence.
Bruce,
The state does not pay for abortions. Check the Hyde amendment.
one thing abortion does is raise the general I.Q of civilation.
“Abortion is devils feeding on dead babies.”
When the debate is lost, result to hysterics. In this case of the worst sort.
Bruce, “the state,” meaning, in fact, you and me through our votes — “the state” isn’t some other entity you can dismiss because you do not agree with what a majority has stated they want –has a vested interest in the health and well-being of half its population. Your narrow view of abortion completely sets aside matters of public health and reveals a deep ignorance.
To then come at me to suggest without relevance the “state owes me a living” uncovers the child at the heart of your argument. You know nothing so you invent it. For the record, I have never taken money from “the state” unless it was in exchange for my professional services (IT).
You also demonstrate for all to see the point nick made up-thread:
“Men simply harden the debate and have made it violent.”
Not providing vital care to women in medical need, especially when things go awry, is violence by doing nothing. A majority of your fellow citizens have said this violence is not acceptable. We are going to provide care, even if we do not agree with the choices other people make for themselves.
If you are able to so without calling me a leech, can explain why you feel the need to butt into the private affairs of women, of perfect strangers? “Not wanting to pay for it” is not enough. I don’t want to pay for a lot of things our government does but never to the extent of meddling in the private medical affairs of my fellow citizens.
Why must you?
I want the legislators to stop practicing medicine without a license.
artie, Most abortions, by a long shot, are done by God. They are called miscarriages.