The Gene Police is a work of fiction that wraps a murder mystery in
elements of the eugenics movement. To be clear, it is not a treatise on
the subject but should enlighten readers about this little known pseudo
science and hopefully inspire some of them to delve deeper into its
history, its proponents, and its impact on American life. The author
puts it this way: "My interest in race issues can be traced to growing
up in the segregated suburbs of Washington, D.C. My mother's relatives
were slave owners. My great great uncle was a famous eugenicist who was
instrumental in the passage of the miscegenation and sterilization laws
in Virginia. I'm convinced that if we as society are to rid ourselves of
the curse of racism and white supremacy, we need to continue to keep the
issue in the public conversation. My hope is that The Gene Police will
add to the dialogue about racial issues by teaching readers about
America's fascination with eugenics while simultaneously entertaining
them."