The only real hope for any of us lies not in a political philosophy. However, good government is a significant part of the fiber of any great nation. Thomas Jefferson said, "The care of human life and happiness and not their destruction is the only legitimate object of good government."

Given that America just marked the 38th anniversary of the federal endorsement of abortion on demand, which has seen more than 50 million children die in the womb, Jefferson would surely cringe at where we are today.

For a most horrific snapshot of where we are, we must look no further than Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell. In what has been called "one of the most disgusting litanies of murder we've seen in all of western culture," Gosnell has been criminally charged with, among other things, eight counts of murder. Seven of them were babies who, moments after birth, had their spinal cords severed with surgical scissors inserted into the back of their necks.

Though not receiving the coverage of the Loughner tragedy, as it was not to the liking of much of the liberal media, news of Gosnell's butchery garnered much shock and disgust. Yet, in the shadow of Roe v. Wade and the culture of death that it wrought, as Kevin McCullough concludes, it is no surprise that there is a Dr. Gosnell among us.

Despite much effort to the contrary, for nearly four decades progressivism has lulled far too many Americans into complacency when it comes to life in the womb. For nearly four decades, despite more and more sound science to the contrary, Americans have been told that a fetus is a not a person and is undeserving of the same protections as the rest of us. The left is littered with politicians, all the way up to and including U.S. presidents, who have been complicit in perpetuating this deceit.

Hoping for America to wake up, Deacon Keith Fournier notes that, "There are times when the truth concerning what actually happens in every procured abortion becomes obvious and the nation is shaken out of its complacency. Perhaps the House of Horrors found in Philadelphia will be one of those moments. What was hidden is now being revealed. The truth is what ‘Doctor' Gosnell did is no different than what is done in every procured abortion. The only difference is that it is hidden from view."

Of course, with abortion being a lynchpin of progressivism, many leading liberals are taking a very measured tone when it comes to this tragedy. Towing the classic liberal line, writing for Salon.com, Rebekah Kuschmider notes that in such matters, "We need to start with sex. People have sex. You may wish they wouldn't and many preach that, without benefit of marriage, people shouldn't, but people have sex ... And you do not have the right to impose your personal sexual morals on anyone else. You don't. It's rude. So please don't try."

Paving the way for legalized abortion-on-demand, pornography, homosexual marriage and so on was — again, courtesy of progressivism — the "sexual revolution." Thus, not only have we abandoned nearly all reason and morality when it comes to life in the womb, but many Americans have been deceived into believing that nearly any sexual act to which we are tempted is healthy, normal and without dire consequences.

Therefore, along with Gosnell, we also have MTV. With its infamous new series "Skins," the No. 1 peddler of youth entertainment poison set the entertainment world abuzz. Citing its "foul language, illegal drug use, illegal activity as well as thoroughly pervasive sexual content," the Parents Television Council called "Skins" the "most dangerous program that has ever been foisted on your children."

With actors as young as 15, there has been much discussion about whether the show has actually engaged in child pornography. As even the New York Times suggested, when you come into work and there is a meeting centering on whether you've crossed the line into child pornography, you're probably in the wrong job.

What was that about imposing "your personal sexual morals?" Whose sexual "morals" do you prefer, MTV's, or the Southern Baptists'? Hollywood's or Focus on the Family's?

The fact is that there is no neutrality in the matter. Every law, every decision is rooted in some morality. As I have noted before, according to the late philosopher Dr. Greg Bahnsen, "At the most fundamental level of everyone's thinking and beliefs there are primary convictions about reality, man, the world, knowledge, truth, behavior, and such things. Convictions about which all other experience is organized, interpreted, and applied."

As I hinted at the beginning, it will take more than a shift in political philosophies for America to turn from this dark path. However, our politics, and our politicians, reflect our morality and have great impact on our lives and culture. Hopefully more and more Americans dislike what they see as they look to the left.

Trevor Thomas is a Gainesville resident and frequent columnist.