Today eugenics is suggested by the most diverse minds as the most adequate and thorough avenue to the solution of racial, political and social problems.

    "I think you must agree ... that the campaign for birth control is not merely of eugenic value, but is practically identical with the final aims of eugenics ... Birth control propaganda is thus the entering wedge for the eugenic educator.

    "As an advocate of birth control I wish ... to point out that the unbalance between the birth rate of the 'unfit' and the 'fit,' admittedly the greatest present menace to civilization, can never be rectified by the inauguration of a cradle competition between these two classes. In this matter, the example of the inferior classes, the fertility of the feeble-minded, the mentally defective, the poverty-stricken classes, should not be held up for emulation. (Margaret Sanger. "The Eugenic Value of Birth Control Propaganda." Birth Control Review, October 1921, page 5.)

    Eugenics, the key and center piece of Nazism, is the same aim of Sanger and the founders of Planned Parenthood. In fact, she changed the name of her organization after WW II precisely because Nazism was her thoughts put into action.

    Today, we hear politicians say such things as, "I'm personally against abortion, but not against a woman's right to get one." Contrast that with the case of Nuremberg defendant Hans Franck, the Governor General of Poland. He disagreed with Nazi policy toward the Jews. His diary showed that. But he did nothing to stop it. As a Nazi leader, he felt he had to 'follow the law'. "I just wanted to keep my job." Was what he told the court. Franck was found guilty of crimes against humanity and was executed.

    Medical experimentation on inmates of concentration camps was condemned. Men were frozen and then thawed to see how best to treat German pilots downed over the English Channel. Dr. Mengele was tried in abstention for the various experiments done on Jews and other 'untermenchen' (sub-humans) on behalf of all mankind. (Many of his experiments are still referred back to today) Christopher Reeve may want to walk again, but at the cost of a child so he can have 'embryonic stem cell research' done? We've seen the 'trafficking of fetus' to medical facilities for 'medical research'. This is no different from what Dr. Mengele and the Nazi's did. And all in the name of further science for all mankind.

    The Nazi party used real and imagined situations to seize power, and when it did, it made sure that it held it by any means. The editor of 'Der Sturm' wrote that "the Jews were a nation of bloodsuckers and extortionists." To him, this wasn't preaching race hatred, just a statement of fact. Today, we see and hear editors and news agency's doing the same. Not against Jews, but against Catholics and other Christians. We hear how Pius XII was in league with the Nazis. We hear that the Catholic Church is anti-woman, anti-gay, full of pedophiles, etc. Of course, to them, this isn't preaching hate, just a statement of facts.

    Ted Turner, Bryant Gumble, Phil Donahue, Bill Maher - the list is long on those 'media experts' who train the public to distrust and hate Catholics and the Church. And all in the name of openness and tolerance. Of course they're not preaching hate, if you ask them, they're just stating the facts.

    The Kommandant of Auswitz had no problem in killing Jews, he had been trained to view Jews as the enemies of Germany. And what did the Nazi's do with the enemies of Germany? Concentration camps.

    These were, according to him, the idea of Herman Goering, to 'protect Germany'. According to him it was a question of removing danger by placing these enemies in 'protective custody'. Goering classified these threats into two categories.

"Those who had committed treason to the new State were naturally turned over to the courts. The other who one might expect such acts, but had not as yet committed them." (Herman Goering)

    So, to even be suspected of being treasonous, or an enemy of the State, was enough to be sent to a camp. Needless to say, they needed information on who those likely enemies were. The murder of a minor German official in Paris, by a person who happened to be a Jew, was enough to justify reprisals against Jews, and begin sending them to camps to 'protect' average Germans.

    Ever hear of VAAPCON? It stands for "Violence Against Abortion Providers Conspiracy." It's run from the Justice Department and keeps track of those pro-life groups that they feel are a threat. It justifies "intrusive investigative activity" by the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, US Postal Inspectors, and US Marshals to watch for potential 'domestic terrorism'. And who are the targets of this 'protective measure'? The National Council of Catholic Bishops, Women's Coalition for Life, Americans United for Life, Feminists for Life, the Christian Coalition, and the NRA. (ref. The Catholic World Report, Aug/Sept, 2000, pg. 35 and Insight Magazine, June 17)

    This, coupled with VP Gore's speech before NARAL, that implied Catholic compliance and support of violence against abortion clinics, makes one wonder, doesn't it? In fact, with NARAL commercials portraying that being pro-life appears un-American, we can see how, in the past 8 years, we've seen laws passed that 'control' the perceived enemies of the State. How much longer before we're sent somewhere for 'protective custody'?

    Today, if one doesn't follow the 'accepted' patterns of thought, we're told we need 'sensitivity training' for our mental health. In fact, the definition for schizophrenia is so broad, that it can be applied to almost anyone, even one who merely disagrees with the 'popular opinion' of the times. Of course, in Nazi Germany, mental defectives were eliminated.

    Have we learned nothing in the 50 plus years since Nuremberg? Are we so willing to accept the 'empty platitudes' of today's 'power brokers'? Of course Catholics are called to be forgiving and tolerant, but we cannot be accepting of sin and error.

    Vandalism of Catholic cemeteries and churches are on the increase. For many, these are simply the result of the 'righteous indignation' of the average American toward Catholic intrusions. The same tactics and charges, used by Hitler against Jews and anyone deemed an enemy of the State, are being used today against the Church. Movies, newspaper editorials and stories, all point to a real danger.

    In his closing statement, Albert Speer said that it was (then) modern technology, the mass media, which allowed Hitler to come to power and maintain that power to the end. Today, with television, newspapers, magazines, VCR's and the Internet. The message of the culture of death can be even more easily conveyed, always in pleasant and logical ways.

    Yes, this election is going to be a very critical one. Not just on the issue of abortion, but on what direction our nation goes. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. By the way, it has also been shown that those who supported, and helped such 'revolutions' of government, were often victims of it as well. Ernst Rohm of the Nazi SA was executed along with almost the entire SA after Hitler came to power. Josef Stalin executed those members of the Communist party who helped overthrow the Czar, even his close friends. Something for pro-choice and gay rights groups to consider.

    Nazi Germany didn't legislate morality, but ideas, beliefs, and thoughts. Today, we see the move that we too cannot legislate morality, but we can legislate ideas, beliefs, and thoughts. Dangerous ones!

Pax Christi,