Darin BrownSterilizing the unfit
Posted by Henry Bauer on 2010/12/04
To improve humankind’s genetic pool, for a time it was regarded as proper to sterilize the undesirables and the unfit ones: the “mentally defective” in the United States and in Germany, the physically deformed also in Germany, gypsies in Czechoslovakia, and a number of other countries practiced forced sterilization for various reasons at various times. Nowadays that is almost universally regarded as improper.
HIV/AIDS, however, may be unique in this respect as it is in so many other ways. Today’s Google Alert brought news that I am reluctant to believe: that Chile has forced sterilization on “HIV-positive” women. The news comes via Al Jazeera; those who might find that source not to their liking can read the full report from the US-based Center for Reproductive Rights.
Joyce Arthur said
Thanks for the important post, Henry. Chile also throws women into jail for having abortions, so it’s not a surprise to see such retrograde actions.
Just have to make a comment in defence of Al Jazeera. It rivals the BBC as one of the best news services in the world. It’s more objective and accurate than most western media, and it’s progressive. In fact, progressives in Canada fought for years to get Al Jazeera in Canada and finally succeeded in May of this year. http://www.rabble.ca/news/avi-lewis-canada-needs-al-jazeera
Henry Bauer said
Joyce Arthur:
I quite agree with you as to Al Jazeera, as it happens. That might have been masked by the way I referred to it, but they cited the source, one indication of trustworthiness.