It is axiomatic that apologies should never be given in instances where there is no wrongdoing. That is why Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards’ apology was unnecessary. Yes, one of her employees admitted to harvesting the organs of unborn babies for commercial purposes. But this is routine at the abortion mill. That the female doctor was cavalier is undeniable—she explained her work with the aplomb of a Nazi—but she was only expressing her sincere, and long nurtured, sentiments.
“Our top priority,” Richards said, “is the compassionate care that we provide. In the video [which shows Dr. Deborah Nucatola speaking about her work while imbibing] one of our staff members speaks in a way that does not reflect that compassion. This is unacceptable, and I personally apologize for the staff member’s tone and statements.”
Even if the apology is unwarranted, the clarification is much appreciated. It is important to speak clinically about hawking a baby’s heart—that shows compassion—but to speak casually is wrong. Richards’ point is salient: casual talk is what we would expect from a pimp selling his girls on the street. Even so, to single out Dr. Nucatola is discriminatory.
Abby Johnson, who once worked for Planned Parenthood, admits that when she worked there she would “go out for margaritas” at the end of the day with her colleagues and chatter about how their day went. “We would plainly talk about harvesting fetal parts as if we were talking about harvesting a field of corn,” she said.
In 1971, Albert Speer, Hitler’s closest confidant, explained how it was possible for him to orchestrate the genocide of Jews: “I did not hate them. I was indifferent to them.” Yes, he said, “by depersonalizing them” he was able to murder Jews with the same lack of conscience as a sociopath. Or a doctor who works for Planned Parenthood.
