Virginia regrets....

February 16, 2001 8:15 AM

Virginia regrets.... Lots of boys were named Eugene in honor of eugenics movement, likened here to what the Nazis were also doing
posted by Postroad (8 comments total)

The resolution of regret originally included an official apology, but that language was stricken because lawmakers said it carried a connotation of guilt.

I'm getting all tingly.
posted by gimli at 8:42 AM on February 16, 2001

Virginia repealed the law in 1979
Oh, that's ok then.

Virginia's eugenics law, passed in 1924, supported forced sterilizations to eliminate virtually any malady believed to be hereditary, including mental illness, mental retardation, epilepsy, criminal behavior, alcoholism and immorality

Check,Check,Phew,Check,Phew,Check
posted by fullerine at 8:50 AM on February 16, 2001

See the Pioneer fund for continuing manifestations of this. Their mission:


"To conduct or aid in conducting study and research into the problems of heredity and eugenics in the human race generally and such study and such research in respect to animals and plants as may throw light upon heredity in man, and research and study into the problems of human race betterment with special reference to the people of the United States."

They have three links to defensive diatribes.
posted by mblandi at 9:22 AM on February 16, 2001

Hmm. I wonder when they'll find the "immorality" gene.
(kidding...)
posted by dagnyscott at 12:49 PM on February 16, 2001

C'mere, I'll show it to you...
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 1:38 PM on February 16, 2001

Careful with that axe, Eugene!
posted by Steven Den Beste at 1:50 PM on February 16, 2001

I thought they said the "immortality gene," and was briefly bewildered.
posted by Loudmax at 7:52 PM on February 16, 2001

When I first read about Hitler's euthanasia program I wondered why he was killing your kids in China and Japan.
posted by Postroad at 5:04 AM on February 17, 2001