Let’s say the court finds Kermit Gosnell guilty of killing babies after delivery, instead of before — where the law permits it. Now he has to be sentenced. If I were the judge, I would surely want to be fair, regarding the killing of born babies.
So for his sentence, a judge — to be consistent with how the law treats abortionists — would have to have him hold out his wrists, and slap them smartly. Then the judge would give him the chewing out of his life:
Lookit, doctor, you’re arrogant. What makes you think you are so privileged you can jump the gun on infanticide? Don’t you know there are plenty of your colleagues eager to do that but they are waiting until it’s legal? Besides, what kind of obstetrician are you that doesn’t know how to kill a kid while it’s still in the birth canal and it’s legal to do so? Do you realize you have set the cause for abortion and infanticide back, oh, probably at least two weeks? Infanticide is coming, but even our dear President was unable to get it legalized when he was a senator in Illinois. So be patient. It’s just a matter of time, and people getting used to it. It’s coming.
Or do you want to be some kind of martyr like Jack Kevorkian? He could have been a little more circumspect and no one would have said a word — just like many other physicians were doing then and are doing today. But no! He had to get out in front of everybody and say “Look, world. I’m helping people commit suicide.” He got what he deserved for his bravado, but at least now he’s something of a folk hero on his way to becoming a medical hero.
Oh, I know what you’re thinking. What’s the difference whether I kill the kid inside the woman’s body or outside? Or if the kid is over or under 24 weeks of age? Huh. Shows how insensitive you are about the ethics of abortion. See, inside and under 24 weeks gestation, it’s OK because, well, we make it OK. Outside and over 24 weeks, well, that’s bad, because, it’s not legal yet. I surely hope this experience will make you more adherent to the strict ethical demands of being an abortionist or we’re likely to meet again.
Once infanticide is legal, doctor, you too might be something of a folk hero, maybe even an obstetrical hero, and perhaps for that you have to suffer. Too bad I’m the one who has to make you do it, but I don’t make the law, I merely administer and interpret it. Go home and put some liniment on your wrists. And don’t do anything foolish like this again until it’s legal. Have a nice day.
As strange as this might sound to some of us, this “justice” would be consistent with our current laws. It’s a false morality to make Gosnell exceptional — some kind of horrible bad guy. Morally, he’s no worse than the abortionist who kills babies at six weeks of gestation.
The Gosnell trial screams out the inconsistency of our legal treatment of human beings. We who believe in the sanctity of human life must fight to change it.
