A Glimpse into One of Our Possible Dystopian Futures

[Content Note: Eugenics; privilege.]

It's appropriate this particular scientific advancement would happen during the Trump administration. https://t.co/ZFDDfc7ILi

— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) August 2, 2017

Because I suspect, once perfected, its primary use will be enabling wealthy people to uphold white supremacy, ableism, and the patriarchy.

— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) August 2, 2017

I am also feeling squirmy as Donald Trump is a big eugenics aficionado, because of course he is. Last year, the Huffington Post compiled some of his grossest hits on the subject.

Text onscreen: "This may be the most dangerous part of Donald Trump's campaign."

Footage of Trump saying during a speech: "All men are created equal. Well, it's not true. Because some are smart; some aren't."

Interview with Trump biographer Michael D'Antonio, who says: "The family subscribes to a racehorse theory of human development."

Footage of Trump saying during an interview: "When you connect two racehorses, you usually end up with a fast horse." Footage of Trump saying during a campaign rally: "Secretariat doesn't produce slow horses."

D'Antonio: "They believe that there are superior people, and that if you put together the genes of a superior woman and a superior man, you get a superior offspring."

Footage of Trump saying during an interview: "You have to have the right — the right genes." Another interview: "I have a certain gene. I'm — I'm a gene believer." A stump speech: "Do we believe in the gene thing? I mean, I do." Another stump speech: "I have great genes and all that stuff, which I'm a believer in."

Interview: "Well, I believe I was born with a drive for success." Interview: "I was born with a certain intellect." Interview: "The fact is, you have to be born and blessed with [points to head] something up here." Interview: "God helped me [points to head] by giving me a certain brain."

Interview: "It's this. [points to head] It's not my salesmanship." The interviewer asks: "It's what?" Trump replies: "THIS. [points to head] You know what that is? It's the brainpower."

Stump speech: "I have Ivy League education; smart guy." Stump speech: "I have, like, a very, very high aptitude." Interview: "I'm pretty good at English. I always did very nicely in English." Stump speech: "I mean, like, I'm a smart person." Interview: "You're born a fighter. And I've seen a lot of people — they wanna fight, but they can't." Speech: "Some people cannot genetically handle pressure."

Interview: "I always said winning is somewhat, maybe, innate. Maybe it's just something you have, you know — you have the winning gene."

Interview: "Frankly, it'd be wonderful if you could develop it, but I'm not so sure you can." Interview: "You know I'm proud to have that German blood. There's no question about it. Great stuff."

So, you know, I'm not actually super pumped about this guy overseeing policies made regarding the ethics of genetically modifying human embryos.

I'm pretty certain the people who have been caterwauling about stem cell research will have no problem with this, though, as soon as Trump slaps a #MAGA tag of approval on it.

Cuz, you know — principles.