Good morning: Is it OK to pay crack addicted mothers to get sterilized so that they won't have crack babies?

Question

I was browsing the 'net (something I shouldn't be doing since I am at work) and I came across this old article:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1999/09/07/MN81261.DTL

In a nutshell, this program paid crack addict women to get long-term birth control or to get their tubes tied in order for the mom to stop having crack-addicted kids who are born with severe health problems.

Some said that they found it harsh because it targeted poor women of 'color. (That is sad that when something like this is mentioned, the first demographic that is sited is 'women of color'.)

What do you think of this? If a politician brought this up, would you support it?

@havenone--

intelligence, you have none!

Answer 1

Since anyone who is addicted to any drug is not going to think clearly and always make the right choices, offering them this as a tool to stop the birth of thousands of sick, unwanted(by the mothers) babies with serious health problems is fair.

Answer 2

I think it's pretty reasonable to offer it so long as there are not strings attached. It is very different from the government mandated sterilization of the 30s through 50s. I think the critics of the program want this comprehensive do-all thing. I think that is unrealistic given the enormity of the problem. I sure would support it!

For those going on about eugenics, eugenics was NOT VOLUNTARY. These women are given a choice between birth control and sterilization. Furthermore, the success rate of reversing a tubal (should the woman clean herself up) with a resulting pregnancy is quite good. The cost is $3000-$8000, depending on the procedure, which is certainly within the range that any couple can afford.

Answer 3

This program was offered a few places, Philly might be where I read about it. It was also discussed in colleges. The not so small minority of drug users was the only target for this particular solution.

We should also make birth control a mandatory requirement to receive the services at every methadone clinic, and for everyone receiving ANY services from the welfare offices.

Anyone who thinks this problem is racially motivated at a specific minority must really see this PROBLEM in that particular group.

Instead of complaining about the past, do something good to stop this from happening in the future. It's basically the same concept our brave troops have when they enlist in the military. As civilians we all have the same opportunity as the military does to improve the future, but we just have different options too obtain the results!

Answer 4

I actually think we should pay more people than just the crackheads to not have children. There are too many stupid people out there breeding like we repopulating after the flood and it is drowning out intelligent voices such as mine. So I say we start sterilizing more people. We should pay for the procedure sure, I mean if we're going to tell people they can or cannot have a child, we should at least pay for it.

Now I wouldn't be able to support a politician who supported such a thing because I do not believe it is the government's job to tell people that they can or cannot have children, crack addicted or otherwise. Not to mention the mothers should go through the horribleness of seeing their own crack addicted baby die so maybe they can see that what they are doing not only hurts themselves.

As far as the women of color thing, when you consider that the vast majority of crack addicts are black, then it stands to reason that more black women would be affected by this than white women.

Answer 5

Why are you only blaming women for this? what about all those crack-addicted fathers who pay no child support? Maybe we should have a program to give all those men a vasectomy. That would probably make a bit more sense - especially since one man can potentially go out and impregnate many women - which a lot of them seem to do.

But no, I wouldn't support it - it's an abhorrent idea - paying just $200 to desperate women in order for them to give up all future dreams of someday having a family just because they were stupid enough to dabble in drugs and got addicted. Surely some kind of mandatory rehab would be a better option, and we should make it the toughest kind of rehab you can imagine - anything that will get them off the drugs. These women really need our help, because without it most are unable to change.

If you want somebody to blame for all this - look at the drug dealers. :-/

Answer 6

Sure

If it is OK for the FBI to provide Crack to the Black Panther party. So they would become harmless drug addicts Then why not let Bush's FBI give Crack with a chemical sterilization ingredient to Compton or New Orleans.

After all ... What's good for Crawford is good for America.

Go Team Bush Go

Answer 7

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome isn't genetic. a splash possible in basic terms get Fetal Alcohol Syndrome if the mummy liquids alcohol whilst the toddler is interior the womb. in the journey that your toddler's father has fetal alcohol syndrome, then i'm guessing his situation isn't as undesirable as what it would desire to get. yet distinctive little ones that have it prove mentally challenged, deformed, and so on. it could incredibly reason a toddler distinctive issues. in case you reside faraway from alcohol, your toddler is basically no longer born with fetal alcohol syndrome.

Answer 8

I'm a liberal and I actually think it's a good idea. Not only that, but I don't think that it's a racial issue. Sure, there are a lot of crack-addicted women who are black, but there are also plenty of white ones who would benefit from such a program.

Answer 9

It Sounds like a good program in the long run. and if it is voluntary then it is a good solution to prevent kids from being born crack babies.

Answer 10

Would it be right to have a child who will be known as a "crack baby" and will never be able to live a normal life and will probably end up on the streets just like the mother?