Read this article above!
"Theory becomes practice" was a bulletpoint in our lecture on Thursday. Eugenics is a prime example of a state-made mistake that resulted from the scientific racism (theory) being put into practice. Half a century later, states are faced with the error of their ways.
In the story of Sarah Bartmann (recall the Fausto-Sterling piece from Tuesday), European anthropologists/scientists created difference in order to maintain and solidify their own power and privilege. In the twentieth century, upper class white Americans did the same thing.
The article about the concept of eugenics is disturbing and upsetting, and tells the story of racism and classism in the U.S. during the mid-twentieth century. However, what I find even more upsetting, is the idea that the state of North Carolina is attempting to make up for their horrific practice of sterilizing poor, mostly black women by paying them large (if you consider this large...maybe I do just because of my background, but $50k seems like a lot to me!) sums of money. This excerpt below best represents Riddick (the victim in the eugenics North Carolina article) and my own view on the issue of reparations--
"Fifty thousand dollars?" she says, her voice rising. "Is that what they think my life is worth? How much are the kids I never had worth? How much?"
The $50,000 compensation recommended by the Governor's Eugenics Compensation Task Force on Jan. 10 must be approved by the state Legislature. If so, Riddick said, she will refuse it.
"Fifty thousand dollars isn't nearly enough to bury my pain," she says. "It's shut-up-and-go-away money."
She pauses, then says: "Am I still bitter? Of course I'm still bitter. The state wants me to lie down like a dog and just take it."
Now, consider other times the American government has offered or considered paying victims of state-led institutions of harm reparations-- slavery of the nineteenth century and Japanese internment camps of WWII are the first (and only) two examples that immediately come to mind.
What do you think about the idea of paying reparations in order to compensate victims of things like state-mandated eugenics? Do you agree with Riddick-- that the money is simply "shut-up-and-go-away-money"? (Note: remember from the article, she did sue the state of NC unsuccessfully and the US Supreme Court did not hear her case when she appealed to them.) Or, do you think the state is just in attempting to offer some kind of solace the these victims of not only racism and classism, but state-mandated sterilization? Can you think of other examples throughout history where something like this occured (slavery, internment camps for Japanese-Americans)? Can anything at all be done to make up for mistakes of this magnitude?
First of all, I am shocked that the institution of a Eugenics Board even existed. Furthermore, when I read that twice as many blacks as whites were sterilized between 1960 and 1968, I literally got chill-bumps because it became clear that this story was not just about weeding out "feeble-minded" individuals, but races as well. Riddick was also labeled as more prone to promiscuity, but the board's claims were backed up by nothing more than their suspicions; similar to Sarah Bartmann, Riddick's black female sexuality (which was forced upon her by a man at a young age) with something "wild" or "abnormal" that could be connected to immorality (Fausto-Sterling 216). To the Eugenics Board, Riddick was considered "unfit" and was therefore removed from her chance to participate in further "breeding" (Lassiter 15).
ReplyDeleteI both agree and disagree with Riddick when she calls the offer "shut-up-and-go-away money" because it is certain that the state wants to keep the story quiet, but at the same time, the individuals on the current board are most likely NOT the same individuals who made the decision to sterilize Riddick back in 1968. Perhaps they are only trying to offer her something to try and make up for what was done to her, and the only thing they know how to offer is money.
I do not think anything can be done to make up a case like this. The only real reparation would be justice. To achieve this, the US Supreme Court would have to rule on her case, and it seems that it will not be happening anytime soon. Another time in history when this occurred is during the Wwansee Conference of 1942 where a roundtable of Nazi officials brainstormed ways in which they could sterilize Jews (they discussed everything from x-ray damage to surgery intervention).
I have heard about the 'science' of Eugenics in America in the twentieth century before. I think that it is absolutely repulsive. The issue of the sterilization itself is incredibly awful and an extreme violation of human rights. Often in America we hear about violations that occur around the world and feel superior enough to look down upon those actions and 'pity' those people. Yet in my opinion this sterilization of women lies along the same lines as many of the issues that disturb and frighten the general public today and in the past. For example, Female Genital Mutilation is a human rights violation that is occurring in third world countries, specifically in Africa. I think that it is important to note that many of the deprivations and harm that comes from Female Genital Mutilation could align with that of this sterilization. Also it occurred/occurs in much the same way, with young girls that do not understand what is happening. A more infamous example, is of course the Holocaust. This 'racial and class' cleansing parallels with the 'ethnic' cleansing that Hitler saw as beneficial to his race, just as the pamphlet speaks about sterilization benefiting the society at large.
ReplyDeleteWhile this is all in the past and we cannot change it, the way that present society is dealing with the issue is disturbing itself. The fact that the Supreme Court will not hear her case and she has not received any justice for what was done to her is absolutely disgusting. I cannot believe that in the twenty-first century in the United States of America, we do not see this obvious violation of human rights as worthy of a hearing. I do not know exactly what I think about the fifty thousand dollar 'hush money' but what I do know is that sweeping this issue under the rug does nothing for the victims. I think that we learn about the past so that we do not make the same mistakes in the future. Perhaps we need to shed some light on this issue and teach the next generation the horrors of discrimination and oppression. The injustice that some women face the very inability to choose the most basic choice of reproduction for themselves and to choose the life that they wish to live. Then we may move forward as a society and learn from this awful injustice in history.
This was an incredibly heart wrenching story. I felt mad and disgusted after reading this article. A women who was never even trying to get pregnant, is the main attraction at the eugenics circus. I don’t know what it is with people and the female genitals, Like it is some kind of taboo that you go in and explore it like a caveman discovering fire for the first time. And 50,000 is only lunch money for what a women has to go through. Like the article said she was in situation that was out of control. What’s more appalling is that when she was raped, they did not give her the benefit of the doubt, it was like your black, poor, you lose!!
ReplyDeleteMrs. Riddick is very brave for what she brought to the forefront. Just like the syphilis experiment, she was put into a situation to get “rid” of certain races by messing up her tubes. Many women like Sarah Bartman and Riddick are put on display for the white male fascination. I pray Mrs. Riddick finds peace for her situation. I cant speak for her about the money but they could kiss my ----. There is no amount of money that people can reach for a women who is put through a situation like Mrs. Riddick. You cant buy pain .