Raise the Hammer

Eugenics is a perfect example of Public Health gone haywire. Based initially on a seemingly logical and scientific basis, some very respectable people advanced the concept of forced sterilization. Nellie McClung, one of the heroes of Canadian Feminism and a person recognized by Ottawa with a statue on Parliament Hill was, with other feminists, a proponent of Eugenics, which means “well born” and uses the breeding ideas for cattle and other animals toward humans. Darwin’s grandson founded the British branch of Eugenics and the idea of improving society by selective breeding soon caught on in the frontier lands. “In 1924, the United Farm Women of Alberta, led by the likes of Irene Parlby, Emily Murphy and Nellie McClung, launched a massive campaign of support for the implementation of a province-wide sterilization plan.” According to Emily Murphy, the first Canadian woman Magistrate: "Insane people are not entitled to progeny." Nellie McClung, who became MLA for the province of Alberta in the 20’s, argued that legislation was needed for forced sterilizationa and that "young simple-minded girls," would particularly benefit. Mrs. Margaret Gunn, the President of the United Farm Women of Alberta campaigned for Eugenics with the statement “democracy was never intended for degenerates.”

In the United States, tens of thousands of people were sterilized by force. The programs continued in Sweden until well after the Second War and the Swedish laws were not repealed until the 1990's I believe.

It is simply a point - an example. And yes it may be fair to compare. It is irrefutable that private transportation has been the single biggest catalyst to world wide industrialization. That has increased the life expectancy for everyone on the planet. The counter to that is that the world is being poisoned by industrialization and that it needs to be reined in.

Private transportation has many good aspects to it. You can be healthy and have a road that leads to your home such that you can drive to work without getting on a bus or sitting in traffic. The onus is on you to take care of your health.

I am not waving my hands in the air claiming evidence has been manipulated to support my preexisting opinions. Every hypothesis starts with a preexisting opinion. Evidence either supports it or doesn't. I am saying that I highly doubt that the panacea for the health of the nation is active transportation.

Comment edited by notlloyd on 2014-05-21 16:57:15