Abortion is such a touchy subject. You never know who it’s okay to talk to about because there is such a strong societal opinion around it. Most people, including myself, simply feel that it is morally wrong. Though sometimes you have to wonder, is it ever right to say that abortion is justifiable? I believe that there is a brief time that it is understandable on why a woman would choose to take that route, but it would be the hardest decision she would ever have to make.
In Philadelphia, Kermit Barron Gosnell, a physician at the Women’s Medical Society, has been charged with hundreds of crimes by the District Attorney, some including murder. This clinic served mostly low-income patients and is well known for its late term abortions. Along with Gosnell, seven other people in this office are being charged with similar crimes, according to cnn.com.
Seth Williams, Philadelphia’s District Attorney, describes the office as the most inhumane, gruesome site possible. He went as far as calling it “a house of horrors.” Not only were there illegal abortions done here, but they found jars of aborted fetuses, severed baby feet and blood-stained furniture along with a strong stench of urine throughout the clinic.
Not only that, but part of his late term abortion process he would sever the spinal cord on these babies that could have had a fighting chance. There were doctors and nurses working at the clinic without licenses or certificates to treat conditions. Gosnell hired a 15-year-old girl to do anesthesia on his patients. One patient even died on his table. He never used sterile equipment. The list of unreal, unimaginable care goes on, and we can’t even call it care. What should we call it, a lab for a psycho? I cannot fathom why any woman, no matter how bad the situation is, would choose to go to the Women’s Medical Society.
Adding to this, the state agencies have not visited this office since 1993. They received plenty of information that there was something going on there. The only reason Gosnell was caught was because he was prescribing OxyContin to patients.
Donald Schwarz, the Deputy Mayor for Health and Opportunity and City Health Commissioner for Philadelphia, stated that the city doesn’t have any jurisdiction of abortion clinics, that the state only has the authority to regulate abortion providers.
Will someone please explain to me what is wrong with people? One, I don’t understand why any person would attempt to help (torture in my mind) someone out under these conditions. The only conclusion I come up with is insanity; but eight to ten insane people in one office – really? Two, I know the pressure on this topic, but ladies you have options. Don’t ever choose medical care based on cost and a thought-to-be quick fix alone. You could lose your life.
Ultimately, hearing about this just makes me sick. There were so many details I left out because it’s just disgusting. And how Gosnell did this for so long, and no one stepped in to say what he was doing was wrong really makes me angry at humanity. Rather than sitting back and watching this stuff happen, we need strong people to stand up, like Williams, and do something.
Coming from a Christian upbringing, I often struggle if I’m accepting of abortion. I know what I was taught and my gut seriously tells me it was wrong. If you tango when you’re not supposed to be, well…there are consequences for everything you do, good and bad.
On another note, if you get pregnant while you’re married and there were tests that come back positive with serious health defects, well depending on the person and how much they can really handle, that might be an option. I’m not saying it should be the first thought in a woman or couples minds though.
Either way, if a woman decides that abortion is the best option for her, then she should feel comfortable enough to go to a licensed and board certified doctor. Who cares what society says, if you know what’s best for you then you do it. Women, please live for yourself, then your children – and let society take a backseat. You have control, no one else.