ADA Brian Holmgren is making the media rounds, trying to defend his informal eugenics program, first by talking to Steven Hale here at the Scene and then Stacey Barchenger over at the Tennessean.

Both stories are well worth your time to read, especially if you're interested in the kind of mindset that lets a man commit grave evils while wholly convinced he's making the right decision.

See this part of Hale's story to get a sense of it:

"And I will argue vehemently that absolutely, having people on birth control in those circumstances is an appropriate condition of probation if they want to be out in the community."

And sterilization?

"If the woman chooses to have that procedure done because she feels it's in her best interest to do that, she doesn't want to have more children, that's an appropriate thing for her to do," he said. "But I can't remember a single case where that has been a proposal that we made that the only way you're going to get probation is if you have a tubal ligation."

To me, it seems obvious that Holmgren is manipulating and pressuring women into having invasive surgery. Again, in plain English, we are not supposed to inflict pain on people as part of their punishment and surgery and the recovery from it is painful. We also aren't supposed to alter the condition and function of someone's body as a punishment, even if it's not painful. Those things are not allowed in the rules we agree to play by as a society.

But, he seems to think he knows better than them what they should do with their bodies and he's going to use the weight of the State to make them do it.

And what a coincidence, there was State Rep. Rick Womick going to the Black Caucus to talk to them about how black women are too stupid to make decisions about what to do with their bodies.

From the AP:

Continue reading here:

Tennessee Tells You You Have to Have Kids, Nashville Tells You You Can't