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Gold9472
05-16-2005, 09:49 PM
State Secret: Thousands Secretly Sterilized
N.C. Woman Among 65,000 Sterilized by Gov't., Often Without Their Knowledge, in 20th Century

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/Health/story?id=708780

WINDFALL, N.C., May 15, 2005 — Beneath the surface of this Southern town, with its lush evergreens and winding riverbanks, is a largely forgotten legacy of pain, secrecy and human indignity.

"My heart still bleeds, and it will forever bleed, because of what had happened to me," local resident Elaine Riddick said.

Riddick was one of thousands of people secretly sterilized by the state between 1929 and 1974.

From the early 1900s to the 1970s, some 65,000 men and women were sterilized in this country, many without their knowledge, as part of a government eugenics program to keep so-called undesirables from reproducing.

"The procedures that were done here were done to poor folks," said Steven Selden, professor at the University of Maryland. "They were thought to be poor because they had bad genes or bad inheritance, if you will. And so they would be the focus of the sterilization."

Sterilized Without Her Knowledge
Riddick was raped and became pregnant at the age of 13. Social workers labeled her promiscuous and too feeble-minded to ever be a responsible parent. So, after giving birth in 1968, Riddick was sterilized without being told.

She learned the truth years later, when she married and tried to have more children.

"They took so much away from me," Riddick said. "They took away my spirit and my soul."

North Carolina sterilized close to 8,000 women in hospitals across the state.

Even though the practice ended more than 30 years ago, some say the time has come to make amends. North Carolina was one of the first states out of 33 that once practiced sterilization to offer an apology. State Rep. Larry Womble is crafting a bill to provide financial reparations.

Some wonder where the state will get the money. "They say, 'Well, we can't afford it,' " said Womble, a Democrat. "Well, we cannot not afford it."

Riddick went on to earn a college degree and raise the son she had at 14. He now is an engineering consultant.

"I thank you, God, for giving me my child," she said.

ABC News' Keith Garvin originally reported this story for "World News Tonight" on April 23, 2005.

frindevil
05-16-2005, 09:52 PM
I dunno, this sickens me=/

- Frind

WhiteGuySaysThis
05-16-2005, 09:55 PM
That is so fucked up in so many ways.

Gold9472
05-16-2005, 09:56 PM
Another of the many HORRORS our Government has done over the years.

WhiteGuySaysThis
05-16-2005, 09:56 PM
I wonder what the other 32 states were...

PillowTalkPrincess
05-16-2005, 09:57 PM
I remember reading something about this a few years ago. I think that it is sad, but does not surprise me. I am sure more things like this lie under the surface only to allow the goverment to cover them up every which way.

Gold9472
05-16-2005, 09:58 PM
What else have they done?

beltman713
05-16-2005, 10:04 PM
As my dear old daddy used to say..."It's about par for the course."

Gold9472
05-16-2005, 10:09 PM
As my dear old daddy used to say..."It's about par for the course."

There was another group of individuals who sterilized people... hmmm... what were their names again?

beltman713
05-16-2005, 10:17 PM
Wouldn't that be the Nazis!

PillowTalkPrincess
05-16-2005, 10:20 PM
What else have they done?

You are about my age so you might recall this movie...it was about a little town that was stuck in the 1950's and the movie was released in the 1980's. The town was hidden from the outside world, where they had city limits and no one left the city limits. One day there were 2 guys (I think one of them was John Travolta and I don't remember the other) who somehow were able to get through the city llimits and they brought the 1980's into the 1950's. Weren't they controlled by the goverment as some type of study? Do you remember that movie? It was really very cheesy!!

Gold9472
05-16-2005, 10:20 PM
Wouldn't that be the Nazis!

Nah... it was the Nazis!

Gold9472
05-16-2005, 10:21 PM
You are about my age so you might recall this movie...it was about a little town that was stuck in the 1950's and the movie was released in the 1980's. The town was hidden from the outside world, where they had city limits and no one left the city limits. One day there were 2 guys (I think one of them was John Travolta and I don't remember the other) who somehow were able to get through the city llimits and they brought the 1980's into the 1950's. Weren't they controlled by the goverment as some type of study? Do you remember that movie? It was really very cheesy!!

No, but you reminded me of "The Village"...

beltman713
05-16-2005, 10:22 PM
Damn, I always get those two confused.

PillowTalkPrincess
05-16-2005, 10:23 PM
I am serious....come to think about it I think it had to do with the KGB governing the town. You don't remember that? Ahhhhhhhh I am going to need to find the name of that movie...it will bug me.

Gold9472
05-16-2005, 10:24 PM
Damn, I always get those two confused.

heh...

pcteaser
05-16-2005, 11:29 PM
Truly a horrifying story :(