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Georgia House Speaker Glenn Richardson Charged with
Eugenically Motivated Public Policy

ATLANTA, GA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- April 26, 2008 -- “History supports certain facts. Namely, that basic human rights exist, and that ideas have consequences. Some ideas are so dangerous to man's rights, that it is reprehensible to entertain them. History also shows that these ideas, when found in the minds of powerful men, often result in consequences so atrocious as to be considered scars in the record of man,” says Dan Becker, President of Georgia Right to Life.

For these reasons, Georgia Right to Life can no longer remain silent about certain disturbing statements reported to have been made by House Speaker Glenn Richardson. The statements in question have occurred over the last several legislative sessions. They reveal a consistent and disturbing direction of political philosophy. In conversations with the authors of various pro-life legislation, Speaker Richardson has
explained his intent to keep abortion legal in the state of Georgia so as to eliminate the poor, thereby preventing unwanted children from becoming a burden to the taxpayer. On several occasions and in front of multiple witnesses, which include Speaker Pro Tem Mark Burkhalter, he is reported to have stated the need for legal abortion; with words to the effect of . . . “If we do away with abortion then we will be overrun by black babies.”

On February 5, 2008, Representative Barry Loudermilk and others, attested to these statements by Speaker Richardson. On February 12, 2008, Speaker Richardson confirmed to Dr. Alveda King (GRTL board member) and Ms. Catherine Davis (Network of Politically Active Christians) in a private meeting, witnessed by House Majority Leader Jerry Keen, that he “may have said something like that.” Georgia Right to Life is concerned that the context and occasion of these statements indicate an alarming political philosophy.

To advocate that some portions of our population (those in poverty) should lose their lives so as to benefit another portion of the populace (the taxpayer) is the public policy of eugenics. This is the stated objective of Planned Parenthood’s founder, Margaret Sanger, who was a leading advocate for the sterilization of "genetically inferior races.” This was her issue in 1939 when she implemented her "Negro Project" and declared "the poorer areas, particularly in the South... are producing alarmingly more than their share of future generations." Sanger wrote "The most successful educational approach to the Negro is through a religious appeal. We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population and the Minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members.” Most of Planned Parenthood’s abortion facilities are located in minority communities. Consider this fact: 58 percent of all abortions in Georgia are performed on African American women; through they represent only 29.8 percent of the population. This disproportionately large number is devastating the African American community in Georgia.

“We are disturbed by these reports and suspect that Speaker’s Richardson repeated opposition to recent pro-life bills that limit abortions among Georgia’s poor, has been informed by eugenic ideology. By his opposition and alleged statements, he has promoted the eugenic policy of Planned Parenthood’s founder, Margaret Sanger,” stated Becker.

Becker concluded, “Such statements made by anyone would be shameful enough, but when made by a man entrusted by the people to shape the public policies of the State of Georgia, these statements are truly reprehensible. These statements indicate blindness to the innate value of all people, an inability to respect and appreciate human life in all its diversity, and a disturbing intention to inject these inhumane ideas into the public policies of the State of Georgia. To hold that social engineering of such a nature is an acceptable, even desirable end, and to incorporate it in the crafting of law is dangerous ground on which to tread. When a leader ceases to see humans as unique, beautiful, and precious, when he forgets in his heart that each human being has a name, then he has crossed a historically frightening line.”

It is with regret that Georgia Right to Life must publicly call on Speaker Richardson to give an explanation of his alleged views to the people of Georgia.

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