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Is anyone who hasn't been living under a rock for the past decade or so at all surprised by the "news" that we black folks are way more likely to get the virus that causes AIDS than our white, Hispanic or Asian American counterparts?
The specific numbers released this week by the Centers for Disease Control may change a little from year to year and from study to study, but the overall issue that black people are far more likely to contract the dreaded disease represents a true-to-life 'Groundhog Day' experience, a wretched nightmare we can't ever awake from.
This year's report shows blacks are eight times more likely to get HIV than whites, meaning that 1 in 22 black Americans will be diagnosed with the AIDS virus in their lifetime.
For whites, the number is 1 in 170. For Hispanics, it's 1 in 52, and Asian Americans have the lowest risk numbers with just 1 in 222.
The estimates are based on 2007 death certificates and HIV data taken from 37 states and Puerto Rico.
Just as predictable as the numbers on how HIV is battering the black community is the reaction we will hear from many in the community:
"Why the news about black people always got to be so bad?"
"I know lots of black and white people, and I don't see us having it eight times more. They lying about us again."
"It got to be a white conspiracy against us. Remember the Tuskegee syphilis experiments?"
It's not surprising to me that we will reach for just about any explanation, reasonable or not, to try and justify the terrible figures on HIV that confront our community.
It's true that it seems that if eight times more brothers and sisters were contracting HIV, we would see black people dropping off like flies compared white folks, but just because that thankfully is not the case doesn't mean that the CDC figures are a lie.
The CDC is holding a mirror to the African American community, and we simply don't like what it is reflecting. The mirror isn't that different from the one we see when looking at incarceration rates, educational achievement and poverty rates.
I think I'll end there before I end up too depressed to continue my day.
A lot of enlightened black folks have worked tirelessly to wake up our community to the hazards of HIV. For years, we have seen and heard endless public service announcements on television and radio on this issue.
Yet the disproportionate HIV numbers continue.
People a lot smarter than me have been stymied about how to break this downward spiral. I have just one suggestion to start that process:
Let's stop denying the painful truth and looking for excuses outside of our community. Put the conspiracy theories to rest.
Comments: (43)
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By: poetrysez on 10/15/2010 1:10PM
I'm not surprised ;{
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By: djkut on 10/15/2010 2:11PM
Wow there is always a study on Blacks. Ok my question is lets us see the numbers on the Whites since there are 300 something million people in the U.S. I am curious to know out of 70% of Whites here that might have HIV ? that information may be locked down and disclosed in Private Hospital records. What about The Hispanics as they have surpassed Blacks in population and Asians as well.
It seems to me that there is alot Fuyking going on, but not enough HIV to go around in other races it just happens to like dark meat. Blacks are becoming the minority and not populating as much so why is HIV just targeting Blacks that make up 12% or so of the population ?
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By: bob on 10/16/2010 9:25AM
djkut Blacks are 12% of the population just like we only have 12 million illegals in our country. The number 12 must be a magic number. The percent of black people in the US is a lot more than 12%. Just walk outside, go to the movies, store, bowling ally, amusment park, pick pumpkins, whatever, alot more than 12%. The aids crap is bull also. Don't believe what you read.
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By: The Cynic on 10/28/2010 11:36PM
Dear Afro people,
Do you have HIV/AIDS?
Do you know somebody with HIV/AIDS in your family?
Do you know anyone with HIV/AIDS?
Do you believe if someone close to you had this deadly disease that they would tell you?
Do you know anyone who has gotten really sick because of the HIV/AIDS virus?
Do you know anybody who has died of AIDS in your family?
Do you know of anyone in your personal life that has died from AIDS?
Stop believing every statistic you hear is the absolute truth. Protect yourself from propaganda. Think critically, ask questions.
According to the CDC approx. 500,000 Afros are living with HIV/AIDS. This is out of a population of an estimated 40million people. That is less than 1%(0.0125) of our population(according to the CDC a disease has to our at a rate of 1% in order to be classified as an epidemic.)
Is this really an epidemic w/in our community or is this another attempt to paint the black community as evil, mischievous, or the opposite of white(pure, good, holy)?
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By: ARNEADER on 10/19/2010 12:54AM
We have to be responsible and take our life into our own hands...we got to and not rely or depend on anyone.
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By: Greg on 10/19/2010 2:11AM
To: djkut
You, sadly and unfortunately sound just like most ignorant black people today! That just want to complain about clinical studies about Black people, but the data is there, and has been available for years now! That data also clearly shows the HIV/AIDS complete picture including "ALL" races of people, not only Blacks. And, that information is readily available right here online as well. The problem is that there's more than enough HIV/AIDS going around...especially in the African American community where it's presently at "epidemic" proportions! Of, all the reported HIV/AIDS cases in the US today black people are responsible for 51%! But we are only 13% of the population! And, BW are, and continue to be the "highest risk group" with 66% of all HIV?AIDS cases for all races of women, and also they have the most reported cases for both genders, and all races as well! Yes, Hispanics have surpassed blacks in population, have far less cases of HIV/AIDS, and less of them are on welfare as well! The reasons why HIV/AIDS is so rampant in the black community is because there's too much casual sex, and also both BM and BW are having unprotected sex, and with multiple sex partners! BW also have staggering numbers for STD's the highest on record, and the most "ever" for a single group of women. And, BW are also the "least" to practice safe sex! Black people here on Black Voices...particularly BW are in denial about HIV/AIDS and their continuing complicity! HIV/AIDS is also the "number one" killer of BW IN THE us, but the majority of BW continue to not embrace safe sex practices, and only want to blame BM, and also play the victims!
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By: madmax on 10/23/2010 8:47PM
This is just another "deficiency study" designed to point the problem at blacks. When AIDS first hit this country in the 80's, and it was called the "gay plague" and you didn't see a single black face. Rock Hudson, Freddy Mercury, Amanda Blake, Liberace, all celebrities and all died of AIDS. When Arthur Ashe died from it, suddenly, it was a "black" disease. Give me a break. Remember that these statistics come from public health clinics. Private doctors don't have necessarily have to report disease statistics, not to mention the people who have the resources to get treatment outside of the country. Notice how almost gleefully the media reports stuff like this? African-Americans are the most studied people on this planet. This is not to say that people should not take necessary precautions, because a cure for AIDS is still some years off. The fact is, that a black man or woman in this country is far more likely to die from murder than AIDS.
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By: westfall on 10/15/2010 1:57PM
I'm not surprised because we have all been hearing this for some time now. I don't believe that black people are having any more sex than whites. But it does look like more unprotected sex. USE YOUR HEAD FOLKS. THE ONE BETWEEN YOUR SHOULDERS.
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By: rh on 10/15/2010 2:43PM
This is just a ploy by racist whites to isolate blacks from having sexual intercourse with their women and genectialy altering their race.Whites control the media, information and they can send out anything to support their agenda, against blacks. This is not to say HIV has not affected the black community, But white americans tend to distort the truth, when it comes to health issues,unemployment, crime, welfare, birth statistics, education, and alleviate or omitt. the
true numbers.
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By: stare k on 10/18/2010 10:46PM
To westfall .I was just on the AJC Atlanta news page , IT READ THAT THEY HAD ARRESTED A WHITE MAN FOR HAVING SEX WITH A DOG , YES A DOG , HOW LOW CAN SOME PEOPEL GO .
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