Eugenics reared its ugly head again this week – twice. And both times it was from the mouths or writings of “progressives” who appear to approve of the eugenic program or at least assume that they’re entitled to determine who’s “desirable” enough to reproduce.
First, let’s take Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg who, in a New York Times interview, expressed surprise that Roe v. Wade apparently didn’t stand for limiting “populations that we don’t want to have too many of”.
Then, there’s Hope ‘n Change’s “science czar” John Holdren who, with Paul Erlich, co-authored the book, Ecoscience: Population, Resources, Environment in 1977. Zombie has provided an interesting book report and here are the high points:
• Women could be forced to abort their pregnancies, whether they wanted to or not;
• The population at large could be sterilized by infertility drugs intentionally put into the nation’s drinking water or in food;
• Single mothers and teen mothers should have their babies seized from them against their will and given away to other couples to raise;
• People who “contribute to social deterioration” (i.e. undesirables) “can be required by law to exercise reproductive responsibility” — in other words, be compelled to have abortions or be sterilized.
• A transnational “Planetary Regime” should assume control of the global economy and also dictate the most intimate details of Americans’ lives — using an armed international police force.
Read it all. It’s pretty sickening stuff.
Where in 
the hell does this arrogance come from and why is it a peculiar – and recurring – vanity among progressive elites? A century ago, eugenics was embraced by progressives around the world who fervently believed in evolution and the possibility of an “improved” humanity. The list of worthies reads like a veritable who’s who of politics and academia: in Britain (among others), the Fabians Beatrice and Sidney Webb, George Bernard Shaw, Harold Laski, H.G. Wells, John Maynard Keynes and the Huxleys.
In America, the list includes Alexander Graham Bell, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson and Herbert Croly (founder of the New Republic). In fact, progressives ridiculed Catholic conservative G.K. Chesterton for his opposition to eugenics and Chesterton responded in typical fashion by publishing Eugenics and Other Evils: An Argument Against the Scientifically Organized State.
One of the most notorious eugenicists, however, was Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood. For Sanger, only the right sort of people should be allowed to reproduce. It should come as no surprise that Planned Parenthood clinics are, to this day, disproportionately located in poorer areas. Whatever else Sanger was, she did remain true to her principles and preached eugenics to the end of her days – even after the Nazi nightmare turned most civilized people against it.
But with memories fading and genetic technology coming to every doctor’s office, the same slippery ideas are now making a reappearance – or did they never really go away?
Other comments by Ed Morrissey here and Hot Air’s Jim Treacher here. PurpleAvenger at Ace of Spades here. Michelle Malkin here.
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