The Eerie Timing of An Abortion Anniversary and Charges Against Philadelphia's Dr. Gosnell

On Sunday, the day following the 38th anniversary of the historic Supreme Court decision establishing a federal mandate for abortion, The White House issued a statement in support of what they termed a "fundamental principle."

Many left-leaning political activist groups also reiterated public support for the long-standing anniversary of Roe v. Wade, this weekend.

Yet these affirmations of abortion's anniversary, access, and availability came on the heels of a truly disgusting revelations that demonstrated the darker side of the industry that performs termination of the pre-born child.

Kermit Gosnell M.D., not three days prior to Roe's anniversary, was indicted by a West Philadelphia grand jury. In its findings the grand jury alleged butchery of patients, negligence leading to the death of two women, the wrongful prescribing of prescription drugs, along with the murder of eight children who had been born.

Yet the procedure that Gosnell is alleged to have preferred to implement in his practice is one that bears a strong resemblance to something several public officials have voted in support of as a U.S. Senators of "late term abortions." These procedures are more commonly referred to as "partial-birth abortions."

Both procedures begin by inducing early labor. Depending on how early, this alone will claim the life of roughly 76% of the pre-born children involved. Therefore in both cases roughly 25% of the pre-born children survive and a dilemma exists.

For parents who went seeking an abortion, a living child is exactly the opposite of what they wished.

In Gosnell's case he carried the delivery through to completion, it is alleged that he would then end the child's life by using a pair of scissors to snip the spinal cord.

With the majority of "partial-birth abortions" the medical practitioner would deliver the child to within two inches of being completely out of the birth canal, then using a pair of scissors, or a scalpel, would puncture the base of the head, and snip the spinal cord.

What would follow in both procedures would normally be a suctioning of the skull, disposal of the medical and human waste, and the surgical repair of the patient, if any was needed -- both procedures regularly required some repair.

I spoke with three labor and delivery nurses who are familiar with the procedures, two of them had also read the grand jury's indictment. All remarked at how similar the procedures were.

Gosnell will now be labeled a serial killer who stored the body parts of the children he terminated -- in some cases in shabby cardboard boxes in his basement -- as far back as 1993. A row of jars lined his waiting rooms that were filled with the snipped feet of the terminated children's bodies.

Doctors by the truckloads, along with the American Medical Association have all confirmed that late-term abortions (partial-birth abortions) have never been necessary to protect the life of the mother. And as the Gosnell story has revealed, early induction, and the violence involved in these types of procedures can be quite deadly at worst and violent at best to the women involved.

It would also be convenient if those who claim to be "pro-choice" could benignly say that they had somehow voted "present" when asked for their support for the partial birth procedures. Yet leading feminists groups, leading feminist icons, leftist politicians, leftist religious leaders, and progressive activist groups never do.

This year, in a case of horrible timing, however, it feels to me as though the political left has taken an even bolder step, continuing to publicly affirm an industry and code of practice that is eerily similar to what was done by a man that most in America now believe should be put to death.

Any ideas as to why?

Kevin McCullough is the nationally syndicated host of "The Kevin McCullough Show" weekdays (7-9am EST) & "Baldwin/McCullough Radio" Saturdays (9-11pm EST) on 265 stations. His newest book from Thomas Nelson Publishers, "No He Can't: How Barack Obama is Dismantling Hope and Change" hits the streets March 2011.