Thursday, May 27,1993 - THE CHARLOTTE POST - PageSA
People Are Dying Needlessly, But From What?
Irony of ironies: While
many people are convinced
the U.S. government ordered
scientists at Ft. Detrlck, Md.
to create a virus to kill black
people, black people are be
ing killed by the millions
(without this alleged killer
virus) with common diseases
that are blamed on the so-
called AIDS virus, HIV.
While we look for the AIDS
erpidemlc In the United
States that is not coming
(unless a majority of us be
come legal and Illegal drug
addicts, and Infect the rest
who are not), we watch
scores of Africans dying
right before our eyes every
day on television - allegedly
from HfV infections, the so-
called AIDS virus that caus
es AIDS ( a group of 26 separ
ate diseases).
On my TV series, Tony
Brown's Journal on PBS, be
tween June 4 and 10, you'll
see a film and studio report
fThe Myth of AIDS in Afri
ca") proving the mass geno
cide of black people by with
holding medical care for
basic diseases and blaming
the cause of death from this
neglect of inexpensive medi
cations on the phantom
called AIDS.
Then to cover their tracks,
the world's medical commu
nity and the United Nations
promotes the myth that Afri
cans, men and women In
equal numbers, are djdng be
cause they are sexually de
praved. Besides, no one has
ever scientifically proved
that the so-called AIDS virus
causes AIDS.
And if this mythical AIDS
virus caused AIDS in Africa,
how would anyone know?
For the most part, no one
would know because testing
for the misnamed "AIDS vi
rus" (actually an HIV infec
tion) is too expensive in
Uganda, for example, where
an electrician makes only
$2 a month In U.S. equiva
lency.
"Africa is not in the grip of
an AIDS epidemic, and false
assertions that the continent
is being devastated by HIV
are leading to a tragic diver
sion of resources from genu
ine medical needs." That's
the opinion of a growing
body of experts, according to
an article in The Sunday
Times of London.
Instead. Africans are dying
from untreated diseases such
as malaria, TB and meningi
tis that are diagnosed as
AIDS. No treatment is justi
fied, the international scien
tists say, because of the un
Thanks For Coverage Of
Alzheimer's Symposium
The writer is Chair of Advocates for Older Adults, Junior
League of Charlotte Inc.
Thank you so much for helping to educate the public on
Alzheimer's Disease by including the third annual Al
zheimer's Educational Symposium in your article. We had
a very successful event, with 200 professional and family
caregivers in attendance. Your assistance was critical to
our publicity efforts.
Again, thank you for your support.
MARGARET A. PLETTINGER
Charlotte
'93 Top Seniors Edition
Deserves A Thumbs-Up
The writer is president of the Charlotte Alumnae Chap
ter of Spelman College.
On behalf of the Charlotte Alumnae Chapter of Spelman
College, I would like to compliment The Post for the out
standing publication of the 1993 Top Seniors of the Year.
The African American young men and women who were
featured are Indeed future leaders of tomorrow. In addi
tion, the publication was an opportunity for national and
local alumnae and alumni associations to review the out
standing Top Seniors Interested in attending their affili
ated institutions of higher learning. The Charlotte Alum
nae Chapter of Spelman College was honored to have four
outstanding young women mention Spelman College as
one of their choices for educational advancement.
Best wishes to The Post for continued success! Thank you
again for your dedication and commitment to youth and
the overall African American community.
MICHELLE THOMAS
Charlotte
The Race Hustlers
founded theory that these
diseases are AIDS and there
is no cure - therefore, why
bother. Let them die.
Besides, international
funds are only forthcoming
for AIDS and HIV work in
Africa. If you are dying of
malaria, for example, you
can get a free condom, but no
medicine for malaria: the
same applies to a variety of
other common easily-treated
diseases.
Africa's so-called AIDS epi
demic is also used as a warn
ing that widespread
"heterosexual AIDS" will
soon come to America and
Europe.
But Celia Farber, writing in
Spin magazine and Dr. Har
vey Blaly, a molecular biolo
gist who worked with tropi
cal diseases in West Africa
for many years, explained on
Tony Brown's Journal that
the facts do not substantiate
anything near an AIDS epi
demic, although death is
widespread and pervasive be
cause of poverty-related
causes.
Farber blames the problem
on "terror-including AIDS
propaganda from the West,"
such as the statement in
1986 in Lancet, a medical
journal, that 60®/& of all chil
dren in Uganda were Infected
with HIV, the virus that
America's organized medical
establishment says causes
AIDS. The real figure, Farber
writes, is now recognized as
5% to 7% - not the 60% pre
viously announced.
AIDS media reporting in
America begins with the the
ory that AIDS originated in
Africa. A recent Issue of
Newsweek magazine placed
the origin of HIV, the alleged
cause of AIDS, in Africa be
fore 1960. A photograph in
Newsweek made the point
that Africans somehow got
HIV from primates.
It then spread, Newsweek
theorizes, across Africa from
1960 to 1975 when blood
transfusions made other
countries such as the United
States susceptible. Another
Newsweek picture, a moving
truck filled with Africans,
conveys that theory.
If AIDS came from Africa,
it means that Americans did
nothing to start it them
selves. Forget what Ameri
cans were doing to them
selves and one another with
massive chemical Injury
from drugs and promiscuous
sex between 1960 and the
early '80s when AIDS made
its debut here.
Secondly, to make the Afri-
can-AIDS theory work, you
must ignore what the scien
tific world has reported from
Africa: What's called AIDS In
Africa bears only a passing
resemblance to AIDS in
North America.
Make no mistake about it,
there is a serious health
problem in Africa - and a lot
of people are dying needless
ly - but from what?
The fear of AIDS, Farber
found, may be one of the real
killers - along with poverty,
poor hygiene and malnutri
tion - that create disease
that go untreated because the
funds are earmarked for con
dom distribution and HIV ed
ucation.
Now that's a conspiracy!
TONY BROWN is a nation
ally-syndicated columnist.
Church Leaders Need To Be
Involved In Children's Issues
I r: George Mason University professor Walter WUliams:
jj Civil rights organizations, once part of a proud struggle,
I have now squandered their moral authority. They are little
!: more than race hustlers championing a racial spoils system.
1 They no longer seek fair play and a color blind society.
! Their agenda Is one of group rights, where quota is king and
[colorblhidness is viewed with contempt. Today's civil rights
'organizations differ only in degree, but not in kind, from
[white racist organizations past and present.
"Were it not for the tireless ef
forts on some head-ragged an
gels in my church - Sunday
School teachers, pastors, mis
sionaries, ushers, and one dea
con in particular - I doubt
whether the children in my
neighborhood, including my
self, would have grown up be
lieving in themselves."
Rev. Dr. Renita J. Weems, from
the Introduction of "Prophetic
Voices."
Amen! As the aunt, grand- '
daughter daughter and sister of
Baptist ministers, I, too, am a child of the
black church. Just like Rev. Dr. Weems and so
many other black people, the church was my
extended family, leadership trainer, confi
dence builder, religious educator and summer
recreation outlet.
The church taught me that I was accounta
ble to and supported by far more people than
my parents. I still resent the deacon who told
my parents on me before I got home from a
place he thought they wouldn't approve of.
But the chidings were greatly exceeded by
church members celebrating my and other
children's achievements. They took us seri
ously and tried to buffer us against, immu
nize us from, and prepare is for the challeng
es of the outside segregated world.
Today, as black children and families face
one of the worst crisis since slavery and we
organize the Black Community Crusade for
Children to overcome these crises, the black
church, clergy and people of faith play a more
Important role than ever.
In "Prophetic Voices: Black Preachers
Speak on Behalf of Children," 21 of the na
tion's most noted black clergy share their
thoughts on the many ways that we can save
our children. While their views and voices
are very different - representing 13 Christian
denominations - they are all fueled by elo
quence. passion and vision.
As Rev. Allegra Hoots, BCCC religious coor
dinator and editor of "Prophetic Voices" ex
plains: "The diversity reflected in the preach
ers' styles and theology highlight the
richness of the Christian tradition as experi
enced in the context of the African American
community."
"Prophetic Voices" is a book that all of us
can enjoy and gain inspiration from. It
weaves biblical text, vivid Imagery and
heartfelt personal conviction into a sympho-
Marian
Edelman
Parental Discipline Is Becoming A Lost Art In America
I My blood bolls when I am in the
[supermarket and hear a mother say,
j"Come on now, Johnny!" and the
child replies, "No! No!" Often these
mothers attempt to pull this dlsa-
[greeable child along behind them.
; My dander rises watching teenag-
[ers carrying this parental disrespect
[to the next level. "Come, let's leave
now," says a parent. The child con-
klnues his or her actions as if the
parent never existed. I just want to
scream watching these hapless par
ents looking for ways to mask their
jembarrassment.
I Finally, there are kids who get into
continual shouting matches with
their parents. These parents can't
wait to get these monsters out of
their homes.
These tales all point out the Yuppie
parents disease that now plagues the
United States of America. A Cauca
sian Mlimesota baby boomer moth
er offers some insights on America's
parental style that de- ^
serves pondering. She
contends that are suf
fering from "terminal
adolescence."
This mother believes
'Tuppies of the late
'60s and early '70s
still want to be kids."
She says they have a
laissez-faire attitude,
take great pride in
their liberalism, and
have forgotten about
the Importance of dis
cipline when dealing
with children.
This Minnesota mother charges
they are "afraid to say 'no' to their
children. She summed up her feel
ings on the scourge of baby boomer
liberalism by saying, 'They give
their children everything, but they
give them nothing!"
A supermarket chat with three Af
rican-American fa
thers in their late 40s
and early 50s in
Wilmington, Del. re
vealed a similar feel
ing. These gents felt
[that modem parents
have gotten out of the
; business of disciplin
ing children and each
father had a war story
to share on how his
parents never tolerat
ed any foolishness.
One chap said his
I mother once took
him back to a con
cerned adult to challenge something
he purportedly had done wrong. He
felt good watching her defend his
case. When he got home she smacked
his head and proceeded to tan his
hide. He recounted having been per
plexed saying, "I thought she was on
my side."
On the question of harsh parental dis
cipline viewed by today's standards, all
of these African American fathers
agreed that their parents would have
been in court or jail for child abuse. Yet
African American males without a
criminal record are becoming an en
dangered species.
I asked, "Have you gentlemen ever been
to jail?" "No!" replied each father.
Parental discipline is a lost art that
needs reincarnating in Mainstream
America where it will evolve into the
national mind-set. Furthermore, main
stream parental caring will stem a great
deal of crime because it rekindles re
spect for authority and other people's
rights.
I hope America develops disdain for
the current national psyche expressed
by out Minnesota mother in her closing
comments: 'We want to be forever
young! We want everything now!"
SHERMAN MILLER is a syndicated co
lumnist.
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ny of messages that speak di
rectly to the heart.
Most Importantly, it reminds
us of how far our priorities
have strayed from where they
should be.
As Rev. Peter John Gomes of
The Memorial Church at Har-
k vard University writes:
"Children are not in any way
expendable. They are God's
I W choicest vessels, his greatest
treasures, and ours as well.
The greatest responsibility we
have is the care and nurture of
our children: no other respon
sibility exceeds this one. And yet we know to
our great sadness that children are an endan
gered species. It Is not that there are too few of
them. It is not that we do not take care of the
children and do not regard them as assets. To
some, they are merely the result of sexual
carelessness. To others, they are a burden, an
Inconvenience. We must recover the sense of
urgency that says that children are the only
real treasure we produce."
I want to thank each of the authors whose
works make up "Prophetic Voices." Each has
attained noteworthy achievements and made
significant contributions to the community.
They are extremely busy people who have sac
rificed in order to contribute to the work of
the Black Community Crusade for Children. I
thank them, not only for the wisdom of the
words they have chosen to share through this
book, but for living out their faith by percept
and example.
The black church must be the moral loco
motive for the BCCC and affirm the sanctity
and preciousness of each child before God and
the world. It needs to offer positive alterna
tive messages and opportunities to counter
those who tell our children they are not worth
much and who hawk violence and money as
the measures of success. The black church
must show black children they are valued by
fighting not only for their souls, but for their
health care, food, housing and safety. And we
as Individuals must do the same.
To order "Prophetic Voices: Black Preachers
Speak on Behalf of Children," call 202/662-
3652. To find out more about the Black Com
munity Crusade for Children, call 1-800-
ASK-BCCC.
Marian Edelman is President of the Chil
dren's Defense Fund, a national voice for
children, and a leader of the Black Communi
ty Crusade for Children.
Athletes
Deserve
Money
By A1 Montgomery
SPECIAL TO TOE POST
Athletes need to wake up.
Several days ago an article
came out about Duke basket
ball coach Mike Krzyzewskl
stating he
will receive
$1 million
and stock for
his players to
wear a cer
tain brand of
sneakers.
I think this
is a disgrace
and a shame
Montgomery coaches
to receive all
these fringe benefits when an
athlete can't even get a "fat
burger" without being penal
ized by the National Colle
giate Athletic Association
(NCAA). Maybe athletes don't
realize that the people who
make up the NCAA are
coaches and college presi
dents, and they make the
rules to benefit their own
greed.
Sure it's great for athletes
to get the exposure for being
on TV and possibly making
it on to the professional lev
el, but think about this: how
many of you make it to the
pros? I dare say 85% of the
basketball players don't go
anywhere after college. Yet,
during your college stay you
fill up arenas night after
night, making colleges rich.
But you can't get a "fat bur
ger" without being penalized.
An article appeared in
Sports Illustrated several
years ago about Georgetown's
basketball program during
Patrick Ewing's stay. While
Ewing was at Georgetown,
they spent $60,000 to pay for
Ewing to go to school, but
made $12 million during his
four years there. Wake up
athletes. You are being used
by colleges. Organize your
self and demand that they
give you something other
than paying your bills for
four years. You have the up
per hand, use it. Without you,
the schools would not make
the big bucks they are mak
ing. Demand some of it be
cause once you complete the
four years, you are history
and most of them couldn't
care less what happens to
you. So take advantage of it
while you are there.
Some suggestions. Have a
fund set up for you that in
cludes the following:
•Air fare home in case of an
emergency:
•Monthly spending allow
ance:
•Clothing allowance:
•Housing allowance.
These are just a few Items
that should be considered. It
can be done because they
make the rules and as long as
you sit back and say nothing,
they will continue to hold
you back and give you noth
ing.
I realize a lot of people are
going to be upset, but some
one needs to say something
because you are being used.
This statement is being di
rected primarily to Division
I schools. They can afford it.
AL MONTGOMERY of Char-
' lotte is a Charlotte-
Mecklenburg teacher and
former college athlete at N.C.
Central University in Dur
ham.