Why does a story like this — an “if it bleeds, it leads” tale, if ever there was one — cause such unique aversion, to the point where mainstream media ignore it and private companies twist themselves in rhetorical knots to keep it under wraps? Why does even the average American who enjoys “Law and Order” look away?

First, there is the extreme horror of Gosnell’s acts. It is one thing when victims can run or scream for help, as in the Ariel Castro story. Gosnell’s victims, though, had absolutely no chance; they were barely developed enough to scream. These infants were completely at the mercy of their killer, with no escape from the surgical scissors on their necks.

There are also the implications for the “pro-choice” movement. Planned Parenthood, NARAL and the rest try to distance themselves from Gosnell. Yet Planned Parenthood is far more sympathetic to “after-birth” abortion than its press releases would have us believe. Those 21 babies killed — and denied justice through Gosnell’s conviction on a mere technicality — speak to the reality of what abortion is.

This is hard for people to deal with, and it’s understandable. It’s almost guaranteed that someone you know or would have known has been victimized by abortion.