Sunday News that isn't being reported

It is Sunday morning and instead of sleeping in I was up earlier to read the various media outlets I do every Sunday. Nearly every site I read had articles about North Korea, Gun Control debate, Budget debate, Tiger Woods debacle at the Masters, and Governor Dayton's Budget mess. Then I came across an article on slate.com - http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/04/12/kermit_gosnell_the_alleged_mass_murderer_and_the_bored_media.html

I had heard Sue Jeffers discuss Dr. Kermit Gosnell on the Saturday Round Table show she has as I took my oldest son to Trap shooting practice - believe it or not but it is a new sport for his school this year. North Dakota Governor recently signed legislation that enacted some of the most restricted laws in regards to abortion. That, and other states looking to do the same thing, have received plenty of media coverage.

When it comes to abortion I don't view abortion as the responsible thing to do but recognize that it is a personal decision that ought to be left to the individuals and their doctor. The only roll the government is to have is to ensure the procedure is safe. Granted it is only safe for the mother as the child will not be safe in the end. But I digress.

Dr. Gosnell is being charged with murder for the method used to complete the abortion process. Here is the grand jury report: http://www.phila.gov/districtattorney/pdfs/grandjurywomensmedical.pdf An Epic Failure exists here on several levels.

The first level of failure starts with the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The clinic run by Dr. Gosnell is Women's Medical Society that started by in 1979. Per the grand jury findings, Governor Ridge decided to stop auditing and inspecting abortion clinics in Pennsylvania because it would be "putting a barrier up to women" who seek abortions. Really?!?! Even after several reports of violations by Dr. Gosnell including one that he performed an abortion on a 14 year old female that was in her 30th week the Pennsylvania Department of Health did nothing.

Dr. Gosnell method of abortion for those with child beyond the 20th week is to induce labor and when the child is born - alive - is to "snip" the spinal cord. Ironically the way the Department of Health in Pennsylvania brought the murder charges to Dr. Gosnell is by their raid to look for prescription drug misuse by the clinic.

The second level of failure is various watch dog groups that look for violations of civil rights. Nothing from NAACP, ACLU, NOW or any other watch dog group over the disparate conditions that white clients had versus minority clients of Dr. Gosnell. During the raid it was noted that the clinic was in horrible condition - stench of urine in the air, non-sterile equipment, blood soaked linens, etc. Despite the horrible conditions, Dr. Gosnell did attempt to give white clients better rooms in the clinic because Dr. Gosnell believed they be "more" apt to report the clinic than minority clients.

The final level of failure is the media. Very little investigative journalism has taken place and likely little will. Reporting on a doctor that performs abortion in conditions that Dr. Gosnell did and as late in the term has he did would not promote the Liberal ideal of abortions or the women's right to choose. As troubling as this sounds, I am all for the women's right to choose but women need to assured the choice is not going to kill them too.

Perhaps going forward more coverage of this issue will take place but I am not holding my breath. We will be more focused on gun control that will not stop the needless deaths that took place at Sandy Hook or any other place.

Old Navy T-Shirt sparks outrage

I understand, as I stated on Saturday, that talk radio has been hammering this point for days now. Yesterday while reading about Basilides I internally debated whether to bring this topic up on the blog today. After a fair amount of reflection here I am. Last week four students at Live Oak High School were sent home from school because of wearing Old Navy T-Shirts that proudly display the American Flag. One may wonder why this would be. The boys wore the American flag T-shirts on May 5^th. Cinco de Mayo is a historical day in Mexican lore as it marks a victory the Mexican Army had over the French at the Battle of Puebla. Now, that victory is symbolic for Mexicans because it showed their unity and patriotism.

Nothing ought to be taken away from the heroics of the day for Mexicans as the battle against the French had significance for their country. What is more alarming is that American students inside the United States are requested not to wear a T-shirt, from Old Navy, that displays the American flag on that day because it may offend. Do we no longer live in the United States? Have we sold back a portion of our country to Mexico? Where is Rev. Sharpton or Jackson or the ACLU in defense of these students? Last I checked it is not a crime to wear a t-shirt to school with the American flag on it.

That being said, did the students wear the T-shirts to create a hostile environment? One student, Annicia Nunez, at Live Oak High School said, "I think they should apologize cause it is a Mexican Heritage Day. We don't deserve to be get disrespected like that. We wouldn't do that on Fourth of July" ( http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36981179?GT1=43001). I am all for diversity and understanding of other cultures but we live in America; the melting pot of the world. To say that "we" wouldn't wear a T-shirt with the Mexican flag on it on the Fourth of July out of respect is ridiculous. We all have the same freedoms in America and if anyone wants to wear a T-shirt with the Mexican flag on it on the Fourth of July so be it. Morgan Hill Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Wes Smith issued a statement: "The incident on May 5 at Live Oak High School is extremely unfortunate. While campus safety is our primary concern and administrators made decisions yesterday in an attempt to ensure campus safety, students should not, and will not, be disciplined for wearing patriotic clothing. This matter is under investigation and appropriate action will be taken" (http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news/265447-american-flag-t-shirt-controversy-grabs-nations-attention).

Campus safety, really, this statement is a throw away. The school principal and staff should have never confronted these students nor should they have bowed to pressures of the day. Instead a great teaching moment was lost and our school system failed us again. Why is it when we speak of tolerance and understanding that it is only a one-way street? We all come from different backgrounds and upbringings. Heritage is important, yet you don't see the school system clamping down of those wearing an American flag on June 6^th when it is Sveriges Nationaldag. Where is the outrage then? Again I ask, where is Rev. Sharpton or Jackson or the ACLU? Is it not a violation of these students' civil liberties?