# Charity bribes drug addicts to sterilise themselves **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 17, 2010, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489 "2010-10-17T22:37:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/161 "2010-10-20T12:18:15Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > It’s not eugenics when it’s not forced. Actually force need not have anything to do with it. _Eugenics_ is essentially defined by intent; if the intent is to promote breeding by “desirable” people, or to discourage breeding by “undesirable” people, that’s eugenics, regardless of what the specific standards or methods are. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/162 "2010-10-20T13:18:14Z")
It doesn’t meet any definition of eugenics. It doesn’t have anything to do with desired “breeding” otcomes, or anything to do with demographics. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/163 "2010-10-20T13:25:05Z")
I tend to identify eugenics as a forced attempt to promote some specific genetic goal. I don’t think there’s a dipshit drug user gene, and I don’t think they’re trying to weed a specific gene out. Rather, they’re trying to prevent damage from potential children. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/164 "2010-10-20T13:32:46Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > I’m a little less than bemused at your insistence that we’re all racist. You assume that this organization is racist to the point of fabricating stats, and because it’s so obvious they’re racist liars, the people advocating in the thread must know that too. And since we’re all okay with it, we’re basically Hitler. Yeah, that woman who runs the thing that’s married to a black man who’s personally adopted crack babies is EEEEVIL. Maybe she’s lying about that too. Maybe he’s a white guy in blackface and she got her own healthy infants addicted to crack for the PR value. Couldn’t possibly be because we recognize what a shit sandwich a kid born to a completely unfit parent gets and are fine with taking non-forced steps to prevent it. No, we’re racist. You’re projecting, dear. I didn’t say anyone is racist. I, in fact, didn’t mention race at all, because it never occurred to me. I don’t think that one need be racist to get a hard on for persecuting drug addicts. Such an easy target, after all. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/165 "2010-10-20T13:57:07Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > Not if it’s easily reversible. Kinda makes you wonder why they don’t opt for that. Um… they do? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/166 "2010-10-20T14:07:26Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > You’re projecting, dear. I didn’t say anyone is racist. I, in fact, didn’t mention race at all, because it never occurred to me. I don’t think that one need be racist to get a hard on for persecuting drug addicts. Such an easy target, after all. The stats people wanted to see earlier in the thread were the ethnicities of the “victims” of this charity. I assumed you were questioning those numbers. If you weren’t talking about that, what stats were you implying were fabricated? Sorry if I’m unfairly misinterpreting your implications. It seems like a lot of the people objecting to this program imply that it’s a secret program to sterilize poor minorities under the guise of protecting babies, and I thought you implying the stats linked earlier (including ethnicity) were part of that secret intent. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/167 "2010-10-20T14:09:16Z")
I question ALL the stats, since the only source providing them is the ‘‘charity’’ in question. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/168 "2010-10-20T14:21:18Z")
What is it that you disbelieve and why? ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/169 "2010-10-20T14:24:20Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > I question ALL the stats, since the only source providing them is the ‘‘charity’’ in question. Do you think they’re also making up the fact that they provide various methods of birth control, including many that are temporary and reversible? If you think they’re making that up too, well, then they could really be lying about anything, couldn’t they? Maybe they really ARE prowling the streets in unmarked vans and forcibly sterilizing druggies against their will. To me, it seems a bit paranoid to believe a bizarre scenario like this, but since apparently not a single word from this organization can be trusted, that leaves us with no real grounds for discussion. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/170 "2010-10-20T14:51:02Z")
No, I don’t think they’re making up _everything_ they say, but since they’re sketchy enough to buy drugs for drug addicts and call it charity, I’m not inclined to blindly take their word for much, either. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/171 "2010-10-20T15:00:11Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > You’re projecting, dear. I didn’t say anyone is racist. I, in fact, didn’t mention race at all, because it never occurred to me. I don’t think that one need be racist to get a hard on for persecuting drug addicts. Such an easy target, after all. Who’s advocating the persecution of drug addicts? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/172 "2010-10-20T15:13:08Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > No, I don’t think they’re making up _everything_ they say, but since they’re sketchy enough to buy drugs for drug addicts and call it charity, I’m not inclined to blindly take their word for much, either. What could they be lying about and why? What’s the worst practical case scenario here? ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/173 "2010-10-20T15:25:58Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > If you can’t see the difference among a pair of shoes, a job, and a lifetime of fertility, I’m not sure there’s anything I can possibly say to make you understand. What if we offered them $10,000,000 to get a vesectomy? If the consent was fyully informed and competently made without compulsion then I could see giving up my fertility for $10,000,000. I wonder what sort of situation I would have to find myself in where $300 would be enough to convince me to get a vesectomy I would not otherwise get, I imgaine that for a woman it would take even more compulsion. If you were going to get the vesectomy anyway then just offering free vesectomies would be enough wouldn’t it? I don’t think the consent is really consensual. Not for $300. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/174 "2010-10-20T15:35:45Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > No, I don’t think they’re making up _everything_ they say, but since they’re sketchy enough to buy drugs for drug addicts and call it charity, I’m not inclined to blindly take their word for much, either. Get real for heaven’s sake. Project Prevention is not buying drugs for drug addicts. You shouldn’t make up facts to suit your argument. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/175 "2010-10-20T15:48:49Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > Project Prevention is not buying drugs for drug addicts. They’re giving cash to the _most_ desperate addicts, and they’re not running a treatment program. Of course they’re buying drugs. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/176 "2010-10-20T15:50:40Z")
So what? At least they’re not having babies. Why is a junkie buying drugs worse than a baby going through crack withdrawal or being neglected by a crackhead parent? ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/177 "2010-10-20T15:50:43Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > Get real for heaven’s sake. > > Project Prevention is not buying drugs for drug addicts. > > You shouldn’t make up facts to suit your argument. Those charities that give addicts clean needles are pretty sketchy too. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/178 "2010-10-20T15:51:50Z")
How so? Is it better for addicts to get AIDS? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/179 "2010-10-20T15:53:01Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > How so? Is it better for addicts to get AIDS? “Are there no workhouses?” ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489/180 "2010-10-20T16:00:03Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > How so? Is it better for addicts to get AIDS? Sorry, I was being sarcastic. I should have made it more obvious. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-bribes-drug-addicts-to-sterilise-themselves/557489.md?page=10)