Eugenics and Sterilization Laws in the U.S.

I.Laughlin Law: designed as a pattern for eugenics laws
     A.Mandatory sterilization of "socially inferior persons"
          1.Epileptics, Syphilitics, the deformed, the retarded
          2.Blind, deaf, dumb, dwarfs, the handicapped
          3.Alcoholics, unwed mothers, runaways, the illegitimate
          4.Flagrantly immoral people, habitual criminals
     B.Harry Laughlin
          1.Praised by Nazi's
          2.Given an honorary doctorate by Nazis in 1936

II.Buck vs. Bell (1927)
     A.Held mandatory sterilization laws constitutional
     B.Carrie Buck (1903-1983)
          1.After her mother was institutionalized for epilepsy,
          Carrie lived with her aunt and uncle. She was raped by
          her cousin, and gave birth to a daughter, Vivian (1923-
          1932). She was declared to be a moral imbicile by the
          state of virginia, and ordered to be sterilized at the
          Lynchburg mental institute. She fought the order all the
          way to the supreme court. The doctor/lawyer of Lynchburg
          argued that Carrie's mother was an imbicile, Carrie was
          an imbicile, and her daughter Vivian was an imbicile.
          Carrie lost her appeal, and the Supreme Court ordered her
          to be sterlilized. Her daughter was not an idiot, got A's
          and B's in school, and died of an intestinal disorder
          when she was eight. Carrie was later released from
          Lynchburg. She married twice, and died in 1983.
     C.Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote the 1927 Supreme Court decision
          1."Three generations of imbiciles are enough"
          2.Laws mandating sterilization are as legal and as
          constitutional as laws mandating vaccination or selective service

III.Eugenics Laws in the United States after 1927
     A.Twenty three states passed eugenics laws, all calling for
     mandatory sterilization of socially inadequate persons
          1.Most victims were white, poor
          2.Many victims were accused of alcoholism or immorality
          3.8,300 persons in Virginia alone
     B.Social Service workers investigated individuals and
     families. They informed the state authorities where they
     favored mandatory sterilization, and then followed through on
     the sterilization of individuals or entire families.
     C.Nazi eugenics laws were openly based on U.S. eugenics laws
          1.American eugenicists praised the Nazi policy
     D.By the 1960's the ACLU was investigating, finding victims,
     and having the laws struck down. States resist.

IV.Eugenics and Abortion
     A.Abortionists make the same arguments as Eugenicists used to
     B.They advocate taxpayer funded abortions for the poor
          1.They often hint that these people are unfit
          2.They especially support abortions for poor black people
          3.Yet they deny racism