I’m sorry to have to add this addendum to a story I posted months ago about compensation for victims of involuntary sterilization in North Carolina. This was to be the end to a really sorry chapter in our history and, for once, North Carolina was in the lead in making amends.
But it is not to be. It looks like the leader of the state senate, Phil Berger, won’t even bring it to a vote. It makes me really sad, but then maybe I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up in the first place.
I am a Resident of the State of North Carolina. My family members were enslaved in this state so it does not surprise me that NC is taking the position that it has. You have to bear in mind that the majority of these sterilization victims are African-American minorities who are descendants of slaves. When the state could no longer legally own us and our offspring; the State made a determination to prevent the basic human right of procreation. Yes, it is another sad chapter in this nation’s history of abusing individuals who are vulnerable to the will of unjust men/women, i.e. state legislators. We have to do better and when you know better you are suppose to do better.
I’m not surprised by this at all. We are talking about a state that amended its constitution to ban same sex marriage. You expect such a state to be concerned about injustice?
What can I say? It got my hopes up when the report came out in January and then one house of the legislature acted.