Imbeciles: The Supreme Court, American Eugenics, and the Sterilization of Carrie Buck
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.18 (729 Votes) |
| Asin | : | B01AIT2QKO |
| Format Type | : | |
| Number of Pages | : | 384 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2016-06-10 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
With the precision of a legal brief and the passion of a front-page exposé, Cohen's Imbeciles is an unquestionable triumph of American legal and social history, an ardent accusation against these acclaimed men and our own optimistic faith in progress.. Exposing this tremendous injustice - which led to the sterilization of 70,000 Americans - Imbeciles overturns cherished myths and reappraises heroic figures in its relentless pursuit of the truth. But the most troubling actors of all were the eight Supreme Court justices who were in the majority - including William Howard Taft, the former president; Louis Brandeis, the legendary progressive; and Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., America's most esteemed justice, who wrote the decision urging the nation to embark on a program of mass eugenic sterilization. New York Times best-selling author Adam Cohen tells the story in Imbeciles of one of the darkest moments in the American legal tradition: the Supreme Court's decision to ch
"The strong should not harm the weak" according to whj. The author writes about Buck vs. Bell, the 1927 supreme court decision on Virginia sterilization law as a blatant violation of the fundamental purpose of the law, "the strong should not harm the weak" He presents scientific, political, historical and cultural context of the law, and influential persons and their personal history. The author points out the common theme of moralizing diseases by the people of prestigious, upper, elitist classes, and selectively ignoring of socio economic factors in public health concerns, and the opportunistic and condesc. Paul Engelmayer said An insightful spotlight on a troubling case and movement. "Imbeciles" shines a spotlight on the eugenic sterilization movement in the early "An insightful spotlight on a troubling case and movement" according to Paul Engelmayer. "Imbeciles" shines a spotlight on the eugenic sterilization movement in the early 20th century that resulted in the compelled sterilization of some 70,000 women and girls. It focuses on the infamous case of Buck v. Bell, in which courts allowed the sterilization of Carrie Buck, a poor woman whom Virginia (wrongly) treated as "feeble-minded." In 1927, the U.S. Supreme Court, voting 8-1, upheld her sterilization. The Court's brief majority decision brushed Carrie's rights aside in five cruel paragraphs. The opinion culminated, notoriously: "Three generati. 0th century that resulted in the compelled sterilization of some 70,000 women and girls. It focuses on the infamous case of Buck v. Bell, in which courts allowed the sterilization of Carrie Buck, a poor woman whom Virginia (wrongly) treated as "feeble-minded." In 19"An insightful spotlight on a troubling case and movement" according to Paul Engelmayer. "Imbeciles" shines a spotlight on the eugenic sterilization movement in the early 20th century that resulted in the compelled sterilization of some 70,000 women and girls. It focuses on the infamous case of Buck v. Bell, in which courts allowed the sterilization of Carrie Buck, a poor woman whom Virginia (wrongly) treated as "feeble-minded." In 1927, the U.S. Supreme Court, voting 8-1, upheld her sterilization. The Court's brief majority decision brushed Carrie's rights aside in five cruel paragraphs. The opinion culminated, notoriously: "Three generati. 7, the U.S. Supreme Court, voting 8-1, upheld her sterilization. The Court's brief majority decision brushed Carrie's rights aside in five cruel paragraphs. The opinion culminated, notoriously: "Three generati. Fascinating read. Paul N. Robinson Fascinating read. Well researched covering virtually every conceivable angle with balanced and thorough information. Very important material pertinent to today more than one might think. The actual writing however, leaves a little to be desired. The author reiterates points over and over as if the reader forgets what happened five pages earlier. Give it a read, but don't get hung up on the repetition.