U.S. A LEADER IN FORCED STERILIZATION

Countries are like people. None Simon pure. Even the best have shortcomings.

PBS did a Documentary in October on eugenics, another word for forced sterilization. The Documentary was primarily reflective of U.S. involvement in the practice.

Most believe eugenics had its beginnings with Nazi Germany. Not so. The U.S. was way ahead of the Nazis. The 1920’s it high point. The American Eugenics Movement was established to promote and champion eugenics.

Wealthy and educated Americans openly supported the Movement. Including John Harvey Kellogg (Kellogg Foods) and Margaret Sanger.

The Movement’s purpose was to breed a “better” American race. The Movement believed socials ills could be eradicated by limiting the number considered to be genetically “unfit.” The unfit included certain immigrant groups, the poor, Jews, the mentally and physically disabled, and the “morally delinquent.”

“Healthy babies” were the goal. Eugenics was popular. Tens of thousands were sterilized.

The idiocy of the concept finally hit home and the practice generally died in the 1930’s.

Note, generally, not wholly.

Jailed Latina women were forcibly sterilized in California jails from 2006 to 2010. One hundred thirty of them. California has acknowledged the sterilizations were done illegally.

Certain states are compensating those illegally sterilized. Compensation is being paid to victims still alive in Virginia and North Carolina. Note to “victims still alive.” Most of the sterilizations took place in the 1930’s. Meaning most of the victims are now dead. An empty gesture.

Craziness is a swinging pendulum. Even good people do wrong. Fortunately, the wrong is recognized and a practice stopped.

Insanity abounds in Washington these days. One never knows from where Trump is coming or going. Vigilance is required. Otherwise the American people can slip into a gross wrong as exemplified by forced sterilization.

Last night a pleasant one.

Began with a 5 o’clock pedicure. Then Aqua for Dueling Bartenders. The evening concluding with dinner at La Trattoria.

Heather May joined Rick Dery as Dueling Bartenders’ guest performer. A school teacher by day, vocalist by night.

A couple from Illinois I had met a few nights ago at the Chart Room stopped by to say hello. Liz and her entourage arrived. Liz looked terrific! Her mobility unfortunately is a wheel chair. Mary came in after her work day at The Little White House.

Mary joined me for dinner afterwards at La Trattoria’s bar. Always a good meal.

Lynda Frechette’s Aqua Idol tonight at 6:30. Go! Do not miss it! A great show. A terrific audience.

Love tuesday nights! My podcast show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. Listen to me rant and rave for a half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

You may wonder why I always express the show’s time with the admonition “my time.” The reason is the show’s followers are world wide. The time is different in many countries.

Rescheduled to tomorrow at 1:30 for the Cath scan. I have 5 pills to take in preparation. I will be up late. The first is at midnight.

Enjoy your day!

 

5 comments on “U.S. A LEADER IN FORCED STERILIZATION

  1. “The most successful educational approach to the Negro is through a religious appeal. We don’t want the word to get out that we want to exterminate the Negro population”
    — Margaret Sanger, hero of the left.

  2. In 1989 Donald Trump, hero of the Republican Party, wrote in a Newspaper Ad objecting to then Mayor Koch’s plea for peace during a racial uproar “hate and rancor should be removed from our hearts. I do not think so.”

    • In 1927, Margaret Sanger organized the World Population Conference in Geneva Switzerland. The events program shows that several of its attendees were colleagues of Sanger’s from the American Eugenics Movement.

      Among those who were given a leadership role in the conference was Eugen Fischer, the man who eventually lead the Nazi effort to eradicate blacks from Europe.

      In an August 28,1935 New York Times article, Fischer praises Hitler, and asks the World Population Congress at that time to “greet him with me: Hail Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor Adolf Hitler.”

      Liberal hero Sanger and Hitler, two peas in a pod.

  3. rather than discuss your current favorite rightwing smear campaign against planned parenthood using half truths and incomplete information about margaret sanger, why not talk about what our current government and president think about eugenics. maybe there similarities are more relevant to hitler and the nazis that the eugenics tendencies of america back in the latter 1800s. look here: newrepublic.com/article/140641/trump-turned-gop-party-eugenics before you decide to distort the past for your own political purposes and see if that isn’t more in line with lou’s blog

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