The Eugenics of Public Health

Every day, we see a new assault on public health. While seemingly disparate problems, they are all linked by cause and solution. From cuts in HIV programs, Covid protections, and measles vaccinations to wars, repression of dissent, and racism, they have one common theme. Eugenics, ending the lives of disposable people who don’t enrich the wealth of the class of finance and corporate capitalists, drives these policies. These rulers pull the strings of the politicians, control media messages, and determine foreign policy. They need billions of dollars to strengthen the military for future wars against China and other threats.

The People’s CDC (PCDC), established in 2020, counters the epidemic of disinformation. It provides scientific information on Covid-19 that the CDC squelched, including information on vaccines, indoor air quality, masking, transmission, and prevalence. The PCDC advocates for virus surveillance of Covid, bird flu, and measles. The Trump Administration has cut over 10,000 federal health agency jobs and ignores these recommendations. Globally, the U.S. has withdrawn from the WHO and cut most US AID funds, killing global health services and humanitarian aid, although inadequate. Significant funding for HIV prevention and care, crucial for the US, South Africa and neighboring countries, has been eliminated.

Wars in Ukraine, Sudan, Yemen, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo wipe out, starve, and displace millions as Russia, China, and the US compete for their wealth and strategic locations. Israel and the US relentlessly bomb Gaza and attack West Bank towns killing 100s of 1000s so that US oil companies can extract fuel resources in the Mediterranean, secure safe passage of cargo ships, and maintain US domination in the Middle East.

In the US, authorities round up migrants and academics, blaming them for economic problems and charging them with disloyalty. Racist discrimination in employment, income, housing, education, and the absence of healthy conditions imperil resistance to illness, increasing the death rates from Covid among minoritized groups of workers. Racial segregation enables the status quo as many prefer hating immigrants rather than the elites who keep us repressed.Allegiance to one’s class makes us stronger.  Identity politics that elevates the importance of one’s demographic group like white or LGBT weakens our resistance. We can stand up for all workers regardless of one’s identity, claiming “an injury to one is an injury to all.” Abolishing capitalism is a goal we can embed in all our struggles. We can’t wait. Workers of the World Unite.

Karyn L. Pomerantz, MLS, MPH is a retired public health educator and librarian. She is a member of the communist Progressive Labor Party, the People’s CDC, and the American Public Health Association where she fights against imperialist wars and racist health conditions. Let’s make May Day every day. Karyn Pomerantz is also Co-editor of the multiracialunity.org blog