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→Eugenics in America: expanded reference
==Eugenics in America==
==Eugenics in America==
Between 1907 and 1937, 32 American states passed eugenics laws requiring sterilization of citizens deemed to be misfits, such as the mentally infirm. Oliver Wendell Holmes and all but one conservative Democratic Justice upheld such laws in a Supreme Court decision that included Holmes' offensive statement that "three generations of imbeciles are enough." [[Buck v. Bell|Buck v. Bell]], 274 U.S. 200, 207 (1927).<ref>United States Supreme Court (May 2, 1927). [http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=274&invol=200 "Buck v. Bell"]. Retrieved from ''FindLaw'' on September 24, 2014.</ref> In fact, the third generation "imbecile" was very bright, but was declared by a eugenics "expert" as "supposed to be a mental defective," apparently without an examination.
Between 1907 and 1937, 32 American states passed eugenics laws requiring sterilization of citizens deemed to be misfits, such as the mentally infirm. Oliver Wendell Holmes and all but one conservative Democratic Justice upheld such laws in a Supreme Court decision that included Holmes' offensive statement that "three generations of imbeciles are enough." [[Buck v. Bell|Buck v. Bell]], 274 U.S. 200, 207 (1927).<ref>United States Supreme Court (May 2, 1927). [http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=274&invol=200 "Buck v. Bell"], 274 U.S. 200, 207. Retrieved from ''FindLaw'' on September 24, 2014.</ref> In fact, the third generation "imbecile" was very bright, but was declared by a eugenics "expert" as "supposed to be a mental defective," apparently without an examination.
Eugenics was taught as part of the evolution curriculum of many science classes in America in the early 1900s. For example, it was featured in the textbook used in the famous [[Scopes Trial|Scopes trial]] in 1925.
Eugenics was taught as part of the evolution curriculum of many science classes in America in the early 1900s. For example, it was featured in the textbook used in the famous [[Scopes Trial|Scopes trial]] in 1925.
Important remnatnts of the evolution-eugenics approach exist today, in part because many of Justice Holmes' opinions are still controlling law. The very first quote in the infamous [[Roe v. Wade]] abortion decision is an unprincipled statement of Justice Holmes in a 1905 opinion. Indeed, Holmes once wrote favorably in a letter to a future Supreme Court Justice about "restricting propagation by the undesirables and putting to death infants that didn't pass the examination.<ref>Holmes, Oliver Wendell, Jr. (September 3, 1921). "Letter to Felix Frankfurter". For a detailed criticism of Justice Holmes' judicial Darwinism, see Professor Albert W. Alschuler's ''Law Without Values: The Life, Work, and Legacy of Justice Holmes'' (Univ. of Chicago Press 2000).</ref>
Important remnatnts of the evolution-eugenics approach exist today, in part because many of Justice Holmes' opinions are still controlling law. The very first quote in the infamous [[Roe v. Wade]] abortion decision is an unprincipled statement of Justice Holmes in a 1905 opinion. Indeed, Holmes once wrote favorably in a letter to a future Supreme Court Justice about "restricting propagation by the undesirables and putting to death infants that didn't pass the examination.<ref>Holmes, Oliver Wendell, Jr. (September 3, 1921). "Letter to Felix Frankfurter". For a detailed criticism of Justice Holmes' judicial Darwinism, see Professor Albert W. Alschuler's ''Law Without Values: The Life, Work, and Legacy of Justice Holmes'' (Univ. of Chicago Press 2000).</ref>
Existing laws requiring students to receive controversial vaccines are based on a eugenics-era decision granting the State the power to forcibly vaccinate residents. <ref>Jacobson v. Massachusetts, 197 U.S. 11 (1905).</ref> That decision, in fact, was the cited precedent for Justice Holmes' offensive "imbeciles" holding quoted above.
Existing laws requiring students to receive controversial vaccines are based on a eugenics-era decision granting the State the power to forcibly vaccinate residents. <ref>United States Supreme Court (February 20, 1905). [http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=197&invol=11 "Jacobson v. Commonwealth of Massachusetts"], 197 U.S. 11. Retrieved from ''FindLaw'' on September 25, 2014.</ref> That decision, in fact, was the cited precedent for Justice Holmes' offensive "imbeciles" holding quoted above.
For the same reason that evolution teaching led to eugenics, evolution teaching today encourages acceptance of abortion and euthanasia. Under evolution theory, after all, we are merely animals fighting for biological survival.
For the same reason that evolution teaching led to eugenics, evolution teaching today encourages acceptance of abortion and euthanasia. Under evolution theory, after all, we are merely animals fighting for biological survival.