Margaret Sanger: Racist or Social Engineer?

The founder of Planned Parenthood, Margaret Sanger, was in many ways person of her times. She came to prominence in the 1920s and 30s in the U.S. as an advocate of a human selective breeding system called eugenics. And if you'll recall your history, Darwinism's postulate of the "survival of the fittest" was by this time the subject of not only academic, but political and popular discussion (Scopes Monkey trial, etc.). It was an article of faith of Sanger's that if the inferiors of humanity - whoever and wherever they may be - would have fewer children, progress would be the winner and society as a whole would be a lot better off. Of course, she never for a moment thought that those "inferiors" would willingly go along with her ideas, so she made it her life's work to achieving her "eugenic dream" with or without the consent of the so-called inferiors. Thus, the American Birth Control League nee Planned Parenthood was born. Well, couple this view with the already popular view - at that time - of the innate inferiority of Black people and you can imagine the havoc that Planned Parenthood wreaked - and continues to wreak - on African-Americans and others so deemed as unfit. Even the logical and political outworking of eugenics was to come at a grave human cost, though not necessarily on American shores, but rather in Germany where the Third Reich, under Adolf Hitler, completely embraced the ideology of eugenics.

Well, today I want to submit for your perusal a chapter from Jonah Goldberg's book covering Margaret Sanger and eugenics. Goldberg traces the shared frontier of feminism, eugenics, and the Third Reich remarkably so in just three pages. The pivot point? Margaret Sanger. Secondly, here's a link to a phenomenally good book I read on the history of the eugenics movement and its subsequent makeover as human genetics and the human genome project. It's called "War Against the Weak". If you think I'm full of it, read these reviews. It's that good. Thirdly, the best Christian apologist in America, William Lane Craig, gives an excellent defense of the right to life - without once resorting to the Bible! Very impressive. And finally, here's a news article about some Black leaders who "get it" and are calling for action.

Psalm 139: 11-14:
If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yes, the darkness hides not from you; but the night shines as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to you. For you have possessed my reins: you have covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise you; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are your works; and that my soul knows right well.


Baruch Hashem and Soli Deo Gloria!