The white conquest of America -- as exemplified in Manifest Destiny -- the Western expansion saw the genocide of many native people, especially women, the promise of new generations of Indian people. But even the segregation and isolation of Indian tribes on the reservation did not stop this new form of genocide -- the mass sterilization of Native American women, sponsored by the federal government's Indian Health Services. The womb of the female Native American was seen as endangering the United States. This pregnant female body was an essential target -- the womb of the full bodied Native American woman -- for genocide by sterilization. I totally agree that this genocide by the Indian Health Service, with the colusion of the federal government, controlled the Native American body -- it was a form of colonization. But when Native American women continued to imbibe toxic chemicals, such as alcohol, into her uterus, damaging the fetus, I draw the line. In our culture in recent years, with medical science discovering that the fetus is damaged for life by intake of alcohol during pregnancy, we have demonized the pregnant woman who has a drink. And I think, rightly so -- but I don't want to address that problem. But isn't the genocide of a child damaged by alcohol a form of genocide, whether it be Native American or white American?
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