By Wanda Franz, Ph.D.

Dear Friends,

The Supreme Court, on May 28, passed down a decision on an Indiana bill that had two parts. They reversed the judgment of the Seventh Circuit regarding the disposition of fetal remains following abortions. In a win for the pro-life side, the Court recognized the humanity of the unborn by requiring that fetal bodies be disposed of with dignity; not as medical waste.

Unfortunately, the Court also denied hearing the second portion of the Indiana law, which prohibits abortion because of the sex, race, national origin or potential disability of the unborn child. The Court emphasized that it was not addressing the merits of the case. It was following “ordinary practice” of denying petitions in cases that have not been considered by multiple Courts of Appeals.

However, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a 20-page concurrence arguing that the Court should examine laws like the Indiana case which “promote a State’s compelling interest in preventing abortion from becoming a tool of modern-day eugenics.” He then went on to explore the history and current attitudes toward eugenics and its link to abortion. Justice Thomas wrote:

“The use of abortion to achieve eugenic goals is not merely hypothetical. The foundations for legalizing abortion in America were laid during the early 20th-century birth-control movement. That movement developed alongside the American eugenics movement. And significantly, Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger recognized the eugenic potential of her cause. She emphasized and embraced the notion that birth control “opens the way to the eugenist.”

            “But Sanger’s arguments about the eugenic value of birth control in securing “the elimination of the ‘unfit,‘…apply with even greater force to abortion, making it significantly more effective as a tool of eugenics. Whereas Sanger believed that birth control could prevent ‘unfit’ people from reproducing, abortion can prevent them from being born in the first place. Many eugenicists therefore supported legalizing abortion, and abortion advocates —including future Planned Parenthood President Alan Guttmacher—endorsed the use of abortion for eugenic reasons.”

The pressure is increasing on the Supreme Court to act on the issue of abortion. Thank you for your continuing support of West Virginians for Life as we work to do pro-life education here in the state of West Virginia.