MLK a Republican? Ouch!

 

Here’s an ad that ran on some Maryland radio stations in support of Michael Steele, a black Republican candidate for governor.  Good thing the group that sponsored the ad was the National Black Republican Association.  Two black voters discuss the issues.

Pam:  Dr. King was a real man.

Tina:  You know . .  he was a Republican.

Pam:  Dr. King, a Republican? Really?

Tina:  Democrats passed those Black Codes and Jim Crow laws.  Democrats started the Ku Klux Klan.

Pam:  The Klan . . . White hoods and sheets?!

Tina:  Democrats fought ALL Civil Rights Legislation from the 1860’s to the 1960’s. Democrats released those vicious dogs and fire hoses on blacks.

Pam:  Seriously!

Tina:  And the Dixiecrats? Remained Democrats and vowed to vote for a yellow dog, before a Republican. Republicans freed us from slavery and put our right to vote in the Constitution.

Pam:  What?

Tina:  Republicans started the NAACP, affirmative action and the HBCU’s.

Pam:  Democrats have bamboozled blacks.

Tina:  Democrats blocked the minimum wage passed by Republicans. Over 200 billion dollars have been spent on education, healthcare and job training since President Bush took office.

Pam:  So, Democrats want to keep us POOR and voting ONLY Democrat.

Tina:  Democrats want us to accept same-sex marriages; teen abortions without a parent’s consent and suing the Boy Scouts for saying “God” in their pledge.

Pam:  We NEED to THINK! and vote OUR own values.

Tina:  Exactly… Democrats have talked the talk, but Republicans have walked the walk.

Pam:  I hear ya girl. It time for us to “DO” the walk.

(Together they laugh about it.)

Steele demanded that the ad be pulled.  Too bad, for too long the Republicans have been painted as the party against black issues.  History demonstates just the opposite.

HIV Testing for All?

 

Quick.  What’s your cholesterol level?  Then what is your HIV status?  According to the CDC, HIV testing should become as common as testing for cholesterol.  Here’s the article as it appeared in my Plain Dealer:

Atlanta – Federal health officials Thursday recommended regular voluntary testing for the AIDS virus for all Americans ages 13 to 64, saying an HIV test should be as common as a cholesterol check.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines are aimed at preventing the further spread of the disease and getting needed care for an estimated 250,000 Americans who don’t yet know they have it.

Take a look at the data from the CDC: Estimated numbers of  cases of HIV/AIDS, by year of diagnosis and selected characteristics of persons, 2001–2004—35 areas with confidential name-based HIV infection reporting. For 2004, 85% of males reported with HIV were homosexual, IV drug users, or both.  For the same year, 20% of the females were IV drug users and the majority acquired their disease through heterosexual contact.  The percentage of their male partners who were gay or drug users is not reported. 

HIV infection is associated overwhelmingly associated with high risk behavior.  Why test everyone?  The article has it right I think:

The guidelines could help end the stigma of HIV testing, prevent further spread of the disease, and lead to needed care for an estimated 250,000 Americans who don’t yet know they have it, CDC officials said.

That’s it exactly.  The same bureaucrats who tried to tell people during the Clinton years that AIDS was a disease that everyone may get (so as not to offend the sensibilities of those engaging in risky behavior) are now telling us that we all should be tested so that those who really need testing will not be offended and treated differently.  What about the false positives?  Testing low risk populations will certainly result in a number of false positives and those mistakenly identified with the HIV virus will initially be hurt, won’t they?  What about the cost? 

Common sense suggests that only those who engage in high risk behavior need be tested.  Put politics aside and develop realistic  and common sense strategies. 

It’s enough to make you sick.