Celebrate Life Magazine - Winter 2018

This was consistent with
a recurring theme across all
aspects of the case—the running
psychic undercurrent of
protecting abortion. From the
health department to the police
to the district attorney to
the judge, no one wanted to
“touch” abortion or even risk
offending “pro-choice” sensibilities.
But neutrality on abortion
persists behind just such a
veil of willful ignorance.
Educating the public
With Gosnell: America’s Biggest
Serial Killer (the movie), Phelim
and Ann remove that veil. In
making it, though, they took
great care to craft a feature film
that both accurately conveys
the story and educates the public
about what abortion actually
is. Until Gosnell, Ann found
pro-life activists distasteful—
too earnest, too religious, maybe
even manipulative. “Back off
with your scary pictures,” she thought,
“I’m sure they’ve been photo-shopped
anyway.” After learning of the Gosnell
case, though, everything changed. The
images shown in the courtroom were
not from activists. They were from police
detectives, medical examiners, and
employees of the Gosnell clinic testifying
under oath. One of the most piercing
moments of the trial occurs when
an abortion doctor from a “safe, clean”
facility described what constituted “a
good, legal abortion.” Nearly everyone
on the jury identified as “pro-choice”
at the outset, but some let out audible
gasps as she explained in detail exactly
what she did.
“Everyone who started this case
ended it more pro-life than when they
started,” Phelim said. This included
prosecutors, journalists, and even Gosnell’s
own attorney. “Basically, once
you find out the truth about abortion,
you drop the pro-choice easy narrative
Phelim McAleer
very quickly,” he continued. “Abortion
is like an article of faith for some people,
you know? They don’t think about
it, but they just are pro-abortion. I’ll
tell you, their faith was shattered. Everyone’s
faith was shattered. Because
when you find out the truth about
abortion as a pro-choice person, it will
rattle your confidence in your prochoice
position.”
Gosnell: America’s Biggest Serial
Killer had been scheduled for a fall
2017 rollout, until, in a rare move,
Judge Jeffrey Minehart, who had presided
over the trial, filed suit to block
release, charging that the authors acted
“with actual malice” and portrayed
[Judge Minehart] “as a villain in their
story of the righteous versus the wicked.”
The suit has caused delay, but
Phelim and Ann are undeterred and
hopeful for a spring 2018 release.
Initial feedback from screenings
has been overwhelmingly positive.
Ann McElhinny
Although it was admittedly “hard to
watch,” one viewer explained, “it was
masterfully done.” She praised the
producers for conveying the gruesome
nature of what happened in a way that
she could take her 10-year-old to see.
And see it, we must. In 1993,
Schindler’s List pierced the world’s
conscience through a judicious use
of film. Similarly, Gosnell: America’s
Biggest Serial Killer presents America
with a profound moment of truth.
With God’s help, many will pause, and
(hopefully!) with a changed heart, set
about extricating this evil from our
midst. Sadly, some will still retreat behind
the cowardice of neutrality. Either
way, this movie will help everyone
make a more informed choice.
Terrell Clemmons is a full-time wife and
mother of three, and a part-time freelance
writer from Indianapolis. She also writes for
Salvo and the Lookout magazines. She can
be reached at www.TerrellClemmons.com.
8 Celebrate Life Magazine | WINTER 2018