The following correspondence originally took place upon the Facebook note of my friend Cecily M, entitled, “Guest Writer: HIV/AIDS”…
Cecily M.: Hey folk. I’d like to believe that I know a bunch of articulate, intellectual, informed, individuals. Yesterday, my cousin/homie posted a note about HIV/AIDS. She wanted some dialogue about the topic. Unfortunately, the people didn’t really respond. Those that did created quite an interesting dialogue. But for this thing to be such an epidemic, it was interesting to see the lack of interest. To me, it almost explains the epidemic. Could it be our indifference?
Today, I’ve copied and pasted her note here. I want you to read and I want you to comment. Cuz I know that you are at work right now, doing nothing. That’s why 12 of my friends are already on facebook with green dots. The rest of you are here too, probably in invisible mode. Read and respond folk. Let’s get it!
Cecily
Coleen writes:
GM all! I have something on my mind. I was talking to my doctor last week Thursday and we were in the room chatting about African American people having the highest HIV/AIDS percentage in the nation. Please read the facts below.
She then told me a story, “I recently went to a medical conference and an African man was speaking to other doctors and he stated “Why are American women so desperate?” At first I was offended, but I thought to myself, he’s right”
My question to my facebook reader’s men and women: Is American women desperate? And are we really the cause of spreading STD’s and HIV/AIDS so rapidly?
Let’s talk about it!!!
Fact: At least 3 percent of District residents have HIV or AIDS, a total that far surpasses the 1 percent threshold that constitutes a “generalized and severe” epidemic, according to a report scheduled to be released by health officials tomorrow.
That translates into 2,984 residents per every 100,000 over the age of 12 — or 15,120 — according to the 2008 epidemiology report by the District’s HIV/AIDS office.
“Our rates are higher than West Africa,” said Shannon L. Hader, director of the District’s HIV/AIDS Administration, who once led the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s work in Zimbabwe. “They’re on par with Uganda and some parts of Kenya.” (Click Here to Continue Reading This Post) →
