The Inevitable Destination

Saturday 2 October 2010 - Filed under Government + SCOTUS

Because of the recent report showing that the US government purposefully infected hundreds of people with syphilis while testing penicillin, I’m reminded that statist policy has but one goal: to put the needs of “society” above those of its individuals; that the needs of the many are greater than the few. To those who would argue that this is a good and just form of governance, I would point you towards its inevitable destination. Our humble, progressive jurist, Oliver Wendell Holmes in his majority opinion in Buck v Bell (1927):

It seems to be contended that in no circumstances could such an order [of forced sterilization] be justified. It certainly is contended that the order cannot be justified upon the existing grounds. The judgment finds the facts that have been recited and that Carrie Buck ‘is the probable potential parent of socially inadequate offspring, likewise afflicted, that she may be sexually sterilized without detriment to her general health and that her welfare and that of society will be promoted by her sterilization,’ and thereupon makes the order. In view of the general declarations of the Legislature and the specific findings of the Court obviously we cannot say as matter of law that the grounds do not exist, and if they exist they justify the result. We have seen more than once that the public welfare may call upon the best citizens for their lives. It would be strange if it could not call upon those who already sap the strength of the State for these lesser sacrifices, often not felt to be such by those concerned, in order to prevent our being swamped with incompetence. It is better for all the world, if instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime, or to let them starve for their imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind. The principle that sustains compulsory vaccination is broad enough to cover cutting the Fallopian tubes. Three generations of imbeciles are enough.

Collectivist ideology is fucking sick.

2010-10-02  »  madlibertarianguy