Perdue asks sterilization victims to come forward

RALEIGH, N.C. — Gov. Beverly Perdue is asking victims of North Carolina's forced sterilization program to come forward as she puts together a budget that includes compensation for them.

Perdue said Monday that she's including compensation in her next budget. The N.C. Justice for Sterilization Victims Foundation has verified 111 people who were sterilized in 48 counties.

Wake County ranks third statewide with nine verified cases, trailing Lenoir County, where the Caswell Center is located, with 18 and Mecklenburg County, which had the highest number of procedures in the state, with 10.

Buncombe, Scotland and Hertford counties ranked in the Top 10 for number of procedures but have no matches.

In January, the Eugenics Compensation Task Force recommended a tax-free lump sum payment of $50,000 to living victims and those who were alive when initially verified by the foundation. Spokeswoman Jill Lucas says Perdue hasn't determined what amount she'll recommend in her budget.

From 1929 to 1974, more than 7,600 people in North Carolina were sterilized.

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Perdue asks for more school funds: http://www.wral.com/news/state/nccapitol/blogpost/10875065/

Perfect example of poor decisions. Pay off eugenics families, which will not change the past. But, continue to send the budget deficit higher, and take away from education and all other public funding, projects, and infrastructure. I assume Bev thinks there are teachers out there that will work for free? Good riddance Bev. You can't leave office fast enough.

randall0123a
March 21, 2012 10:01 a.m.

Agree with heavenly!!! An old indian saying; "Shame on a man who has a family he can not feed"!

loprestw
March 20, 2012 3:21 p.m.

Heavenly, perfectly stated. I agree 100%. AMEN!

randall0123a
March 20, 2012 2:27 p.m.

randall0123a, actually what you describe is not freedom but a controlled environment by government intervention. When the indians were forced to leave their homeland, the government put them on reservations. That was a life that created the downfall of the indian tribes because until that time they were a proud people that took care of themselves.

The welfare system in this country is much like an indian reservation. The government feeds you, clothes you, pays for your children in every way so you then become a slave (by choice) of the government and your children have no role models to help them learn to succeed. Such a shame when people think this is a proper way to live and raise children.

IF the help is temporary to get a family through hard times, I am okay with that but living a life of total dependency on others to sustain your life is WRONG on every level.

signofthetimes
March 20, 2012 2:19 p.m.

Yes, if "Poor and Breeding" was a criteria for sterilization, that is a shame. If people with limited financial means want to have children without the financial means to properly support those children, then that is an interesting choice. They do of course have the option to self-support like the Quakers, and live simple, self-sustained lives. Or, to save and plan for children like responsible adults in this era. So then, what do we call it when someone has children (or continues to), while expecting (demanding) tax payers to pay for them? Now that is truly irresponsible. It is sad that while some work to contribute to society and the infrastructure of the state to support the citizens, others selfishly feed off of this. This is the entitled mentality, labeling this as their freedom. This of course reduces the freedom of those that are forced to pay.

randall0123a
March 20, 2012 11:49 a.m.