The Apostle of Common Sense: Gilbert Keith Chesterton

On Eugenics, the forerunner of Planned Parenthood; Gilbert says:

“As a general truth, a man is no more to be trusted with a theory, to decide what prospective type of child ought to be brought into the world, than he is to be trusted with a loaded revolver to decide what sort of man ought to go out of the world.” (New Witness, Nov. 18, 1921)

“Eugenics is chiefly a denial of the Declaration of Independence. It urges that so far from all men being equal, numbers of them ought not be born at all.” (London news, Nov. 20, 1915)

The thoughts and words of this late 19th century/early 20th century writer and philosopher are as applicable to this time as much as they were in his. His impact on society went beyond the run of the mill journalist to that of the prophet. He was also as convert to the Catholic Church of which he was one of Her most ardent defenders. He was a giant among debaters, among which his opponents, the likes of George Bernard Shaw, regarded him not as an adversary but a friend. Gilbert once said: “Never let a quarrel get in the way of a good argument.”