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Thmsday, October 27, 1988 - THE CHARLOTTE POST - Page7A AIDS Facts That Are Not Sure The last time Gary Null ap peared on my tele'Wslon pro gram, the medical doctors who wrote me were thoroughly upset. The lay public, however, was equally as enthusiastic about his assertions that AIDS Is cur able and the current thrust of medical advice Is lacking, at best The medical and administra tive Idiots In New York and other cities who are providing needles to drug addicts to shoot Illegal drugs certainly prove Null's case that the fight against AIDS Is not even a scrimmage. Saying "yes" to drugs by doctors and city officials Is as bad as a junkie saying "yes." But back to what Null Is saying on my program next month when he tackles the origin of AIDS. What he says Is a case of brilliant logic - and It Is frigh tening. It's too much to repeat all of It here, but 1 will share the high lights. "Is the average heterosexual, black or white, dying of AIDS or Infected? No." After that state ment, Null explained that If AIDS were an epidemic, the an swer would be "yes." Of course, you wouldn't know that If you believed the statistics which are unaccompanied by an explanation. For example. 'The AIDS epidemic Is wreaking ha voc among Black Americans," Parade Magazine told Its read ers. It also gave an "800" number for more "facts" In a pamphlet called: "AIDS In The Black Com munity." "Statistical shockers" It calls Tony Brown’s Commentaries these "facts": 55 percent of all children In the U. S. with AIDS are Black: 54 percent of cases among women are black women; and 24 percent of all men with AIDS are black. But Parade never explained that 11 percent of the popula tion Is so alarmingly over represented because all three categories are drug related — not racial In origin. Null says that the AIDS virus - Instead of originating among Af ricans (and now blacks In Amer ica by Inference) and homosexu al men Is the result of "genetic engineering." Specifically, he says that It "Is a new, complex hybrid-created recently from two or more retro viruses. He named them as cattle-bovine and vlsna-sheep viruses." "They do not affect human be ings — except when you cross them," he adds. Now. how does that fact end up causing AIDS outbreaks among humans and specifically among heterosexu als In Africa and homosexuals In America. Null says this genetically- engineered virus was the Inno cent basis for the smallpox vac cine. "In every country In the world where you have AIDS, and only In those countries where you have AIDS, did you have the smallpox vaccine," he explained. Although Africa has much of the AIDS centers. It Is not evenly distributed on the continent. "It Is only distributed In those pop ulations that received the small pox vaccine," Null adds. The same Is true for South America _- where Brazil became the AIDS center after becoming a small pox vaccine centers. But not Columbia, Ecuador or Peru that were not targeted for the small pox vaccine. And gay men in America? And why an AIDS epidemic among the younger gays and not the older ones? "For two reasons," Null tells the television audience. "First, there was no Infecting virus and vac cine back then. Secondly, not all gays have AIDS," Null answers. 'The healthy gays did not re ceive experimental hepatitis vaccines. Ironically, in '78, '79 and '80, experimental hepatitis vaccines came Into the gay com munity," Null says. Gary Null has much more to say on TV. TONY BROWN'S JOURNAL TV series can be seen on public television Sunday, on Channel 42 at 5 p.m. It can also be seen on Channel 58, Saturday, 1:30 p;m. Please consult listings. "Trail Of Tears" Remembered This year marks the 150th an niversary of the Infamous "Trail of Tears" forced removal of ap proximately 20,000 Indians from their native lands In the Southeastern United States, It was back In 1838 that gold was discovered In the tribal lands of the Cherokee Indian Nation lo cated In North Carolina, Ten nessee, Georgia and Alabama. As a result the federal govern ment decided to remove the Cherokees and force them to walk several thousand miles to an Indian reservation In the state of Oklahoma. Hlstoiy Is Important, especial ly If it Is remembered In a way that engenders a greater public ' commitment to correct the j causative factors pf past histor ic Injustices. The attempted genocide of Native Americans In the United States should never be forgotten. It is Important for all victimized communities to be In solidarity with our Native American sisters and brothers. The persecution and the ex ploitation of Native Americans is a consequence of two funda mental evils Interwoven in the very fabric of this society. Ra cism and Greed. Yes, we must remember the "Trail of Tears" march In the same vein that we remember other acts In the hlstoiy of holo- Civil Rights Journal By Benjamin Chavis causts throughout the world. More than 5,000 Native Ameri cans died as a result of this forced removal. Today the U.S. government has officially recog nized the Injustice Inflicted upon the Cherokees. Since 1974 Native American lawyers have been attempting to reach agree ment on the distribution of a five million dollar settlement that was awarded to the Cherokee Nation In partial payment for damages resulting from the "Trail of Tears" march. Today there are approximately 75,000 Native Americans of Cherokee decent who reside In Oklahoma, and there are still more than 10,000 who remain in Cherokee, North Carolina. In many sections of North Caroli na there are thousands of Native Americans, many of whom are still facing racial discrimination and exploitation. Just within the last few days a victory was won In the case of Eddie Hatch er, a Native American activist, who was facing federal charges of "hostage taking" in a protest that took place earlier this year In North Carolina. Hatcher and others staged a protest at the of fice of the loc^ newspaper In Lumberton, North Carolina. Hatcher stated that he and oth ers blocked the doors of the newspaper office to dramatize the oppression of Native Ameri cans In Robeson County, North Carolina, where the Tuscarora and Lumbee Indian nations are located. These two tribes re fused to take part In the "Trail of Tears" march to Oklahoma. Al though they are the majority population of Robeson County, these Native Americans are still systematically exploited. The good news Is that Eddie Hatcher was found not guilty. The human rights of Native Americans must be respected if this society Is to ever have a standard of equal justice. The challenge of the future Is not only to remember this anniver sary of the "Trail of Tears" but also we all must re-commit our selves to continue to challenge all the old and new manifesta tions of racism and exploitation. Stemming Socioeconomic Regression vice President George Bush's sound defeat of Governor Mi chael Dukakis In the last 1988 Presidential Debate was a nightmare for America’s liberal black leadership. With the polls showing Bush positioned to de liver a third consecutive conser vative Republican presidential landslide victory in the Novem ber General Election, there Is plenty reason for panic In the black community. An Imminent Bush victory exposes the fool hardiness In the black commu nity falling to have credible black leaders In the Inner- circles of both major parties. In the past, the liberal black leadership merely wrote off Re publican Presidential tenures. But Bush's presidency means another 8 consecutive years of a conservative Republican White House unless he defeats him self. No people should have to suffer 16 years while their recal citrant leadership merely feeds them rhetoric on how conserva tives are turning back the clock on social gains. When I hear black leaders ranting and railing on the re gression of black socioeconom ic progress during President Ro nald Reagan's tenure, 1 am embarrassed. It hurts to think that black Americans have Ig nored the opportunity to ad vance regardless of what party comes to power. Yet, there Is still time for black America to turn this bleak scenario around. Black ministers can encour age their membership to discard the antl-Republlcan prejudice which pervades the black com munity. Their membership should become the margin of victory for Republican candi dates. This gives the black com munity significant political lev erage over these politicians which spells the death-knell for black American benign neglect. On the other hand, black mlnl- Says By Sherman Miller sters must foster the develop ment of black Republican lead ers to represent the black community In the Inner-circles of the Republican Party, Should a significant black vote go to George Bush, black Republicans will evolve beyond "political oc toroons" or "white conservative clones" to true champions of the black community's socioeco nomic agenda. I know these cold hard practi cal Ideas are difficult for many black leaders to stomach. But they highlight a cultural change that white America has already undergone. One need only look at the prominent Democratic white ethnic leaders, in Phila delphia, PA and Chicago, who have become Republican Party converts to see the hand writing on the wall against the Demo cratic Party maintaining long term dominance of these white ethnic votes. Black Republicans also have a responsibility to earn the black community's trust. A national summit of credible black Re publican leaders needs to com mence Immediately to define a route to Integrate the socioeco nomic needs of the black com munity Into a conservative agenda. Once this program Is defined, black Republicans must challenge the Bush's Ad ministration to turn their cam Letters To The Post Disappointed About Bond Dispute Dear Editor: I've just finished reading Ge rald Johnson's very thought ful editorial entitled "Vote Yes On Bond Referendum" (October 20, 1988) and could not agree with him more. As a city council member who sat through two to three months of discussion about the components of this bond Issue, which was ultimately unanimously supported by a city council made up of people from every comer of this city, black and white. Democrat and Republican, It disappoints me to hear all of these con cerns at the 11th hour (some of which are being expressed by one or two of the members of that same city council). That is simply not fair, and 1 have to wonder whether If Harvey Gantt had been mayor and the same bond package were being presented, we woijld be hearing these complaints at this stage of the bond campaign. More Important than my be ing disappointed by all of the "Monday morning quarter backs," however. Is my long term concern that this opposi tion Is going to be perceived as very "regional" and "political" In a way that may actually hurt the council's efforts to be more sensitive to westslde concerns In the future. I am convinced that these bonds are going to pass, and that the road bonds will lead the ticket, and fear that after that happens some council members In districts that are Immune from westslde con cerns will become even more intransigent In the future. A far better approach. It seems to me, would have been for the westslders to make their complaints, but not for mally oppose the bonds. That way, 1 believe they would "have their cake and eat it too." Oh well, what do I know. Thanks to Gerald Johnson for being so thoughtful, once again. RICHARD 'VTNROOT Stand Up And Be Counted, Vote Nov. 8 Dear Editor: This letter Is to those who are like me, I saw no reason to vote. I didn't register either even though my teacher made me swear In school to vote when I turned 18. I didn't, un til last year. Let me talk to you who don't vote. First, If you don't vote you are dishonoring Martin Luther King Jr. who fought for your right to vote. What would he say If he were alive today? Are you really that selfish? Do you care about the lives of your family members? Do you want every one else to carry you? Why don't you get in volved and change your own circumstances? You have a voice, use It. Do not let other people decide for you. Stand up and be counted on election day. Men be men, take the oppor tunity to vote and use it. Get up men. Get up women. Get up boys, girls, old men and wom en and let's go to the poUs on election day. Decide for yourselves. Make a mark on this world. No, they cannot do what they want to do anyway.- That Is false. You can change things by voting. It's your choice. Vote. EVANGEUSTM. COOKE Bond Issue: A Day & A Dollar Short Dear Editor: I can certainly appreciate Ge rald Johnson's perspective ex pressed In the editorial 'Vote Yes On Bond Referendum" (Oc tober 20, 1988). It was a sound, businesslike way of thinking and dam It, that's the way it should be! We are always a "day late and a dollar short" when it comes to issues. If Mayor Sue M3irlck can't get the westslders to address their needs to her through proper community representatives, then too bad for them. Yes, it's too late to "make hay" of the bond issue just as Johnson pointed out. But what galls me Is that the black lead ership will not even use the black media, l.e. The Char lotte Post, to keep the commu nity Informed of Issues. I, myself, do not know just how rU vote on the bonds but I'm awful glad that Gerald Johnson as Publisher of The Charlotte Post, Is "up and about" on Issues, I recommend reading The Post to many people If for nothing but Tony Brown's and Gerald Johnson's column. Keep it up! JAMES A. "BRO" STROUD What's On Your Min(i? Let us hear your comments, ideas and opinions. Write to: I>etters To The Post P.O. Box 30144 Charlotte, NC 28230 Please include name, address and phone number. We edit letters for clarity and grammar. paign rhetoric Into opportunity for all Americans. The obvious question be comes, "Who are the credible black Republicans?" There are two black Republican U.S. sena torial candidates, in Maryland and Virginia, who ought to be guiding forces for this process regardless of how they fare at the polls on Election Day. Portia ScotL who ran for the U.S. House of Representatives from Atlanta, can offer this group a lot. There are also non-candidates who touch a broad spectrum of the black community's Interest. Isaac Washington, publisher of a host of newspapers In South Carolina, Is actively supporting the Bush presidential election effort. Ron Reese, president of the Pennsylvania Black Repub lican Council, brings an under standing of the everyday black person's needs. Guale Owens uses her journalist skills behind the scenes m Houston, Texas to foster the lot of black Republi cans In the party's mainstream. Jim House, second vice chair man of the Maryland State Re publican Committee, is a very active Insider In local party poli tics. Marie Watkins (Maryland) Is hell-bent on opening the Na tional Republican Party to the little people. The above names are merely a few people who Immediately come to mind. Surely, there are many other excellent black Re publicans who ought to be at this political summit. If black Republicans are seri ous about turning their two par ty rhetoric Into reality, they will seize this golden opportunity to show some leadership. Black Republicans can be the catalyst to stem the present socioeco nomic regression In the black community should they evolve past their present "token nigger" status. m WJ6HTEI? JUST WON A MIU(0NP0UAR6 AVftRFORTO RESrOFH««® PlPJHf wm LOTTO? 7^1 MARRKP Politicians Won't Change Until We Do "Why don't they tell us what they are gonna do?" my friend asked. "Instead of telling me what they have In mind, they are always talking about how bad their opponents are." That Is what a lot of people will say these days when you ask them what they think about pol itics. So, why are so many politi cians spending so much time running down their opponents, and so little time telling us about their own programs and plans? All of us say that we hate nega tive campaigning. We don't like the ads that take unfair digs and misrepresent the positions of the other side. That is what we say. But whatever we say, the poli ticians know that their messag es about their opponents work on us. The negative ads may of fend us, but they change our minds — more quickly and more effectively than the good old simple messages that we say we would prefer. Jim Martin and Bob Jordan as nice guys as you would ever want to meet. Until the cam paign got started. It would have been hard to Imagine that either one of them would say negative things — In public — about any body. But in the campaign, both of D.G. Martin them learned these that they couldn't win without destroying the positive Image that the other enjoyed. And If you can't win without going negative these days, well, you pretty much have to do It — If you can get away with It. It Is not just In politics that the compulsion to win changes the way people act. In sports, we will overlook or forgive (and even encourage) steroid use, recruiting viola tions, compromise of academic standards, and almost anything else — If It will make out team a winner. A little cheating, small com promises of standards, and tiny creep Into everyday life around us. We accept them, rationalize them and welcome them as helpers In our drive to succeed. Kids can get away with cheat ing In places where they can't get away with bad grades. Fudg ing and stretching In business deals get to lae an expected and accepted practice. You don't think that you are af fected? Doesn't your character change when you get behind the wheel of a car? Don't we get mean and Impatient when we drive. Then we justly our aggressive and Inconsiderate behavior be cause we have a special need to get somewhere quick. Or we re fuse to acknowledge how bad we are, and justify our angry state by blaming every other driver who pulls In front of us, tries to pass, crowds In a lane, drives too fast, or drive too slow. "I have to be an angry driver If I am ever going to get anywhere;" we tell ourselves. "If I were pa tient and kind In the car, I would be stuck In traffic forever." It Is the same old story for us and the politicians. 'The end justifies the means." And as long as negative politics works on us, politicians who want to win are going to keep on being negative. In short, they won't chrmge un til we do.
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Oct. 27, 1988, edition 1
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