True remorse for sterlizations
Lawmakers should not forget their obligation to fund existing mental health programs.
From 1924 to 1979, Virginia forcibly sterilized about 8,000 men and women because they were mentally ill, intellectually disabled or were otherwise deemed to be substandard human beings.
Gov. Mark Warner issued a formal apology on behalf of the state a decade ago. Arlington Del. Patrick Hope believes more is needed. He held a news conference this week in Richmond calling for a “symbolic payment.” Hope did not define that term, nor did he offer ideas on how to identify victims or operate a reparations program. He acknowledged his proposal may not yet be ready for legislation next year.
August 10, 2012 - 6:18 AM
1979 is pretty recent history….stunning that something like this could have happened so recently.
While I appreciate the sentiment, I think a much better memorial to those folks and censure to the Lagrees, would be to pledge that money to mental health care in this state! This is a woefully underfunded, under appreciated, under supported service and that money could be better spent helping Virginians in need. THAT would be public contrition and sacrifice that serves a higher purpose IMO.
3 – I agree, Sandi. Since there are likely no survivors (given that they were sterilized…), trying to make reparations is a bit of a sticky wicket. Get serious about helping those who lack the capacity to help themselves.
Like North Carolina, Virginia needs to step up and pay these people for their mistreatment. It is one of several dark periods in VA’s history. Compensation is owed to these individuals for their life being ruined by the State.
VA should also get ready for reparation to the women for the new abortion requirements. Again, the state is stepping into an area they have no business.
3. 90hoo – no survivors??? Many are still living.
What the U.S needs to do is take care of the Native Amreican Indian first.
They have been treated and still treated worse then any other group of people this country has ever been associated with.
Among slavery, forced removal from their homeland onto reservations, and sterilization of our citizens, our State and our Country have made some grievous wrongs. I understand that fair compensation for the wrongs is never possible; but, failure to make a reasonable effort for the actions of our politicians with the support of the citizenry is absurd. For a Nation to be great it must take care of all of its citizens. When the majority treats the minority crudely for whatever reason comes back to haunt us. We used religion to justify slavery, to justify wiping out Native Americans, to justify sterilization when we knew it was wrong. We know it is wrong not to give gays and lesbian equal rights, we know it is wrong to subject women to ridiculous medical procedures. We must do better.
Richard is right. A number of the women who were sterilized are alive.
And let’s not forget that it was retired RT staff writer Mary Bishop who helped bring all of this out of the shadows in the 1980s and 1990s.
5 – I’m sorry Rich – you are right, of course (call it a brain fart)…if they can be found, I have no problem with some form of reparations…but I think Sandi’s point is still valid.
Not too many months ago, 60 Minutes or Dateline did a show on North Carolina’s legislation to pay for their forced sterilization program. It was unbelievable the actions taken to these citizens. Anyone, especially the poor were rounded up and processed for any number of reasons in order to advance our society. A terrible injustice done in the name of improving our race and our society.
I completely agree that much of what we have done to some of this nation’s citizens from native Americans through today (not to mention other countries), has been heinous, cruel, greedy and totally reprehensible.
Reparations for a generation (or more) ago wrong is not the answer. How can you compensate for such a thing anyway? I do not believe that it was done maliciously. Many people believed that mental illness was genetic, that the men or women could not properly care for a child, or that their situation was rife for abuse (and I KNOW that happened!). It was a cruel thing to remove such a choice but it was not some evil plot by a satanic cult called America (or Virginia). They were all a product of their times and I think reparations cannot be made so why open such a can of anger and problems?
Dedicate specific funding in their honor for the care and treatment of the mentally ill (which presumably some of them still are), and make it a commitment from the citizens of this Virginia that we will never forget and never, ever repeat such a mistake.
Although given the recent abortion decisions, I’d worry about such a hypocritical promise. Besides, the Virginia legislature is NEVER going to pay these folks, or their relatives.
Sandi – take another look at the history here. While it makes no difference if they were mentally ill or not, many certainly were not. All it took was for a Dr. or Nurse, family member, teacher, etc. to say you were slow and you could be subject to the sterilization. Many just happened to be poor, had poor parents, had been raped by others or their father, on and on. Many of these people are still living and have had to deal with this their entire lives. Can we correct the past, no; can we try to make an honest attempt at justice, yes.
The wrong-doers are not the ones who pay the reparations, it is paid for by the taxpayers – who were not guilty or responsible for these wrongs. Why should I, an innocient taxpayer, be stuck with the bill? If you want to collect, go after the ones responsible.
When and to whom will WE give the money
when the 54 million babies murdered since 1973
Stand up and want the same action!
AB
#14 “54 million babies murdered blah blah blah…” Gee, thanks ever so much for proving Sandi Saunders’ point in post #11. Given that the overwhelming majority of abortions take place during the first trimester — when a fetus is incapable of thoughts or feelings — they don’t affect “babies”, but teeny-tiny blobs of meat that have the POTENTIAL — nothing more — of growing into actual human beings.
13. Alan – the State made these decision, the State should make the reparations. You are a citizen of the State and therefore share in the responsibility. You reasoning would day if a auto driver hits your car and dies, his estate should not be responsible for your injuries. Somehow, I doubt you mean that.
14. ablevins – How do you expect murdered babies to ask for anything and if they did, they would be asking their parents for reparations. The state or federal gov’t did nothing.
It is interesting that the Conservatives that are normally against a government running a muck are against the government from being responsible for their mistakes.
“Stay out of my life and affairs but if you do, don’t worry about it, no big deal”. You kind of seem wishy washy in your ideology.
Alan, the “state” IS the taxpayers. In whose name do you think they act? We own what is done in the name of the “state”.
This is how taxpayers are trained not to elect sociopaths.
Richard: I hand you the following job: Contact every current resident of Virginia…man, woman, child, legal and illegal alien. Determine, beyond a reasonable doubt, that they were living here during the time frame that has been determined. Once that is done, contact every resident (same requirements) of every other state and territory to determine if they were residents of Virginia at that time. Once you identify those who lived here at that time, determine if they were “of age”, that is, old enough to be held responsible as an adult. Then, determine their individual tax burden necessary to pay their fair share of reparations. After that, would you please research the indian attack that killed two of my three relatives who came to Virginia in 1643 from Germany. Then, go to work identifying the tribe and individual native americans who were involved in the attack. I don’t care if the indians thought they were doing the right thing or not, it was wrong, and I want my money!
Better yet, let’s just assume that everyone has had something happen in their past that was unjust, collect $100 from everybody in the state as a fine…then distribute $100 to everybody in the state as reparations..and call it even. As a concerned CPA, surely you can handle the job gratis.
#20 SB, that made no sense at all. I’ll absolutely guarantee 100 percent without doing any research whatsoever that the Indians who killed your ancestors are no longer alive. Period.
Now if you want their ancestors to pay up, first we want you to do research that guarantees us that none of your other ancestors ever killed an Indian outright, gave an Indian a disease that killed him or her, or had any role in pushing Indians off their land.
It’s really weird how folks like you seem to think it’s just tough patooties that the state — us — sterilized these women, some of them as recently as 33 years ago.
SB – I bet you feel differently about the government making you buy health insurance. You probably want the gov to gove anything they have made you do back.