A British citizen has become the first person in that country to accept money to be sterilized by a controversial U.S. charity, Project Prevention, founded by Barbara Harris reported the Mail October 23, 2010.
Her organization offers drug addicts cash in exchange for sterilization.
Alan Mitchell, 40, has battled heroin addiction for 16 years, and been in a methadone clinic for the past 18 months without using any heroin on the side. However, he has experienced more than his share of ups, and downs in drug treatment attempts, and failed every time.
Down on his luck, unable to find work, criminal record, and everything that goes with years of being a drug addict, along comes Barbara Harris of Project Prevention offering Alan £200 to be "snipped" so he won't spread his genes around, and have children to burden society. A vasectomy was performed, and Alan was on his way to becoming £200 poorer.
"Poorer?" you might ask. Yes, poorer. His self-esteem has already been trampled on because it's been residing under the soles of his shoes for years, and this would appear to only make matters worse emotionally, and psychologically for the dude. Self-talk, I'm not fit, I'm no good to have kids, I'll never amount to nothing. Yeah, go ahead, snip me, carve the very essence of life out of me, not by choice, but by bribery.
Harris' organization "...has paid 3,500 addicts - mostly women - to be sterilised in the U.S. and brought its crusade to Britain after receiving a £12,500 donation from an anonymous businessman," according to Mail Online in the U.K.
Project Prevention offers cash incentives to women and men addicted to drugs and/or alcohol to use long term or permanent birth control. Project Prevention is a National, 501 (C) 3 organization using your donations to stop a problem before it happens. We have paid addicts in 50 States and the District of Columbia.
Our mission is to continue to reach out to addicts offering referrals to drug treatment for those interested and to get them on birth control until they can care for the children they conceive. We are lowering the number of children added to foster care, preventing the addicts from the guilt and pain they feel each time they give birth only to have their child taken away, and preventing suffering of innocent children because even those fortunate enough to be born with no medical or emotional problems after placed in foster care face often a lifetime of longing to feel loved and wanted. (From PP's website)
What makes this story so compelling is that Alan may be emotinally, and psychologically incapable of making a decision like that absent his drug addiction.
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Comments
I don't recall any research that shows that sterilization prevents drug addiction. And I have met plenty of addicts who make fine parents when they are sober.
If you take this one step further, why don't we just offer euthanization to rid society of the problem altogether. This approach is totally over the line.
I couldn't have said it any better. Very good.
This is hideous thinking & practice. I have been in recovery for 13 yrs. now, & there MAY have been a time I'd have considered it when using, but I never had or wanted kids anyway. I liked the statement about why not just euthanize them all? You REALLY believe you are doing addicts & the world a favor? God's work doesn't include any of us making decisions for HIM! By you or me. Good luck with your conscience, I know what that's like too.
I listened to an interview with Barbara Harris on the radio this morning. She was quite clear that she was not trying to educate or stop future drug addicts. The goal is to stop addicts from having unwanted babies that will be born with drug addiction or fetal alcohol syndrome and growing up in foster care or difficult homes. Is that immoral?
I'm not sure I understand why it's wrong to "bribe" someone to go on birth control. It's hard to raise a kid in the best circumstances. It seems to aggravate people that the active choice to have a child is muted, but there is little attention paid to the life this child will be born into.
And as for the sterilization. It's a one time payment of $300, so if it's just for the money- the long term birth control is more lucrative.
Cheers.
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