The Hill: Del. Holmes Norton: Republicans to blame for high D.C. AIDS rate
When I hear such maniacal rantings from a public figure like Ms Norton I look out for two things:
- Those Who Hate The Target Of Such Comments And Thus Provide Cover For These Words
- Those Who Have A History Of Attacking Such Provocative and Unsubstantiated Claims And How They Respond When Someone That They Favor Crosses The Line
I heard Delegate Elenore Holmes Norton make the same claim last year on the BET series "American Gangster". The fact that she was comfortable stating this on national television showed me that she is either a "true believer" or "truly out of touch" with reality.
The sad fact, regardless of the case is that - This elected member of Congress will not suffer any scrutiny as a result of her comments.
At best this works to add yet another reason why most Black people don't like Republicans and thus the "Black Media" will not confront Ms Norton demanding that she validate the veracity of her logic. In fact it is not that far from the logic that is present in the larger debate on "Single Payer Health Care". A few months ago the claim was made that "X number of people die each year due to lack of health care". Despite the fact that the methodology of the study was panned - in the end - they didn't need to substantiate their claims. They only needed to have several voices in the debate incessantly repeating the claims. "Mission Accomplished".
Why not implement a 100% tax rate on everyone and use these funds to feed, clothe, employ and medically treat all Americans?
Scrutiny Of Elenore Homes Norton From An Organic Solutions Perspective
It is clear that Ms Norton and others don't have the singular goal of addressing the HIV infection problem in Washington DC and other cities. If they did have "people over politics" then the resistance that they claim from the GOP would be addressed by asking other people to place value upon these people at risk and apply their money and resources to address the problem. Most of all - the first people that she would ask to VALUE these people at risk would be the very people WHO ARE AT RISK. Think about the audacity of this line of thinking. The thought that the people should value their own selves more than the government and the unsavory Republicans do.
The sad part of it all is that so many community management competencies are squandered because people like Ms Norton accomplish their primary goal - redirection and obfuscation.
Sadly these type of people who possess these type of thoughts remain quite popular within the Black Community.
4 comments:
CB, You are a person who is more into verbal combat than insight or enlightenment. As such, the following comments will probably be used for yet another attack on black Democrat politicians, as opposed to a discussion about the problems of the District and how to address them.
But whatever.
I would just make note of the following. Norton is engaging in some amount of hyperbole, but there is a reason.
Washington, DC is, in effect, a territory of the US Congress. It lacks the ability of a state or county or city to set its own public policy agenda.
Norton's comments are as much about anger over Congressional interference in DC governance, as they are about the "causes" of the DC AIDS crisis. She is trying to shame the Congress into letting decide its own future, like any other.
CB, here's what is needed from people like you. DC is not free. It does not have self governance.
Would you be willing to use your blog to lead the cry for freedom from government rule and interference into the policy decisions of the District?
[quote]Would you be willing to use your blog to lead the cry for freedom from government rule and interference into the policy decisions of the District?[/quote]
Anon - Do you see the irony of your statements?
The AIDS infection rate amongst a group of people living in Washington DC IS NOT a question of GOVERNMENT.
Take a look at the city a few miles up the road on I-95. Did you realize that Baltimore MD was deemed to have the fastest growing rate of HIV infections a few years ago?
Baltimore MD has a city council that is 100% from the party that Ms Norton resides from. As is the mayor. Both houses of the state are dominated by this same machine. As is the governor. IF IT IS THE GOP THAT IS CAUSING HIV IN WASHINGTON DC - why doesn't this favorable arrangement cause different outcomes in Baltimore?
My frustration is that people like you are so quick to accept the framing of an issue as delivered to you by Del. Norton. Just one shift in the scope will cause the claim to crash to the ground.
It is clear to all with open eyes that the REGION that encompasses Washington DC and Baltimore have certain cultural tolerances that contribute to the higher than average HIV infection rates.
I now must call upon YOU to rebuke PARTISAN attempts of "Democrats Who Are Black" to use BLACK PEOPLE as their poster children.
ARE YOU up to it?
Baltimore's HIV Infection Problem:
http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/MeetingAbstracts/ma?f=102280546.html
http://www.thebody.com/content/whatis/art21729.html
Eleanor and i have been friends and former colleagues for more than 35 yrs. And she is right the Republicans the same ole racist party of NO! has created a scenario where HIV is now rampart, by neglecting to fund programs and esp programs that affect certain populations.
Those southern scalawags and carpetbaggers believe that thier hidden agenda is a back door to ridding cities of those they believe are undeserving, as well as a way for racists who support this slave holding bastion of insane old pedophiles and supporters of child rapists who want to conduct biz as usual.
Eleanor Holmes Norton and i only disagree on one point and that is something that i will not speak of here..However, the disagreement will never cause me to fail to lend her my support..
Its not about Eleanor Holmes Norton and HIV/AIDS/This is about fear, and blame..Put on your gloves!
[quote]And she is right the Republicans the same ole racist party of NO! has created a scenario where HIV is now rampart, by neglecting to fund programs and esp programs that affect certain populations.
Those southern scalawags and carpetbaggers believe that thier hidden agenda is a back door to ridding cities of those they believe are undeserving, as well as a way for racists who support this slave holding bastion of insane old pedophiles and supporters of child rapists who want to conduct biz as usual.
[/quote]
WithoutANation:
I have learned overtime that I can do nothing to change the minds of bigots. Not racial bigots or ideological bigots like you and Ms Norton.
The only thing that is practical is for the flurry of EVIDENCE that dispels their views and to set up a system that neutralizes their bigotry.
It is quite ironic that you talk about "setting up/maintaining a SYSTEM" by which certain populations are placed at risk or they don't receive help.
I would love for you to specifically detail what about Washington DC's population puts them uniquely at risk and what YOU ASK THEM to bring this risk to their consciousness and, most importantly WHAT YOU ASK THEM TO CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR so that they are not exposed to risk.
Instead you appear to believe in their inferiority. You see government as a prophylactic which must prevent the feeble from doing the self-destructive behaviors they do on their way to receive olfactory stimulation in their world that is otherwise full of depression.
Again I challenge you to articulate why the city of Baltimore which is free of "Racist Republicans" has the same or worse HIV outcomes.
I struggle to understand why anyone would want the city of Washington DC to become a state when the truth is that you nor few others have shown any inclination of wanting it to be a FREE STATE - free from the slavery of dependency upon resources that were generated from the outside of its own domain.
You and Ms Norton share the very same unconsciousness in that regard.
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