This is Either Extremely Encouraging or Brutally Depressing

Ann Althouse observes:

If Gosnell is not convicted... it will help the pro-life movement.

We're going to skip right over how depressing and outrageous it would be if Gosnell were to walk. We'll worry about that another time.

If this is true--if Gosnell isn't convicted of anything and the resulting outrage turns the tide against abortion in America--then at least the blood spilled in that clinic will not have been in vain. It means we still hold on to a little bit of our humanity. That's an encouraging thought. If it turns out that way.

On the other hand, if it isn't true--if Gosnell walks and the story just peters out (and the mainstream media will try their level best to achieve said petering: "Turns out there was a lot of exaggeration in the story", "In essence, just some minor health code violations")--... Well, that's just an unbelievably depressing thought.

Because that will change my perspective about what Americans are, fundamentally. It will mean that we are willing to accept the most vile brutality for the sake of politics and convenience. That does not bode well for the future of the republic.

Now, I'll just hope it doesn't come to that.

(Via you-know-who)