How we deal with the political consequences of Truth

1966

“Peter Buxtun, a PHS (United States Public Health Services) venereal-disease investigator in San Francisco, sent a letter to the director of the Division of Venereal Diseases to express his concerns about the morality of the (Tuskegee) experiment. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reaffirmed the need to continue the study until completion (until all subjects had died and had been autopsied)”.
-Wikipedia

The Tuskegee Experiment involved tracking syphilis in poor Black Men by lying to them about treatment (and something called “bad blood”) and specifically not treating them or their families that were infected. It lasted for 40 years from 1932 to 1972.

It ended only after Buxtun’s approach, not to Government depts., but to the press in 1972.

Ancient history right?

April 13, 2008

“Scientists using federal grants spread fertilizer made from human and industrial wastes on yards in poor, black neighborhoods (in Baltimore and East St. Louis) to test whether it might protect children from lead poisoning in the soil. Families were assured the sludge was safe (commercial fertilizer) and were never told about any harmful ingredients.”
- Associated Press Writers JOHN HEILPRIN and KEVIN S. VINEYS

…human and industrial waste…
…human and industrial waste…
…human and industrial waste…
“…families were assured the sludge was safe and were never told about any harmful ingredients”

This was last week’s history.

It’s a story for all of the African American eye rollers and “modernists” who side with the jingoistic “nationals” when they stand appalled that anyone would even suggest that AIDS was an invention let loosed upon a people. Especially when Reverend Jeremiah Wright proposes it.

In fact it isn’t Wright’s proposal but merely his articulation of a well worn Black hypothesis. That if not watched, Whites in power will, eventually, do some horrific shit we all talk about it in Barber Shops. We all nod (and shake) our heads in kitchens at family dinners. We all see the condition as verrrrry possible due to, well, facts. We know it. Latinos know it. Asian Americans know it. Iranians know it. Vietnamese know it. American Natives know it.

The only people not clued in is the so-called White Blue collar on-the-fence Democrats and Republicans. Actually, I’m not sure if it’s that they don’t get it or just that they don’t want to get it.

But this is why we need the Reverend Wrights and younger successors. To point these things out. To keep the eyes open. How many times have we all yearned for more voices against the War. I even wrote a Blog (Where are My Xristian Homies at?) whining about the lack of anti-war and anti-genocide Preaching going on during the housing/SUV boom! Our collective failure is that Black folk have gotten far too complacent to air this nature comfortably. If we hadn’t the orientation of these thoughts and the people who keep ‘em stoked (like Jessie Jackson) we would not have been marginalized to the point of feigned aghast when the facts are brought to bear.

Because, call Wright what you want, you can’t call him liar. Indeed, his positions aren’t up for debate. What Black people are arguing over (my father and I included) is the timing. The timing.

SHUT UP ALREADY…..Damn.
This is the knot in Black folk’s throats today.

The timing.
Or the question of timing:

Should Reverend Wright be out there talking facts and, thus, jeopardizing Sen. Obama’s chances for the Presidency?

It is the only issue because no Black person down for Sen. Obama is gonna be put off by statements by the guy next to him. Hell, Wright’s not even saying anything THAT controversial (unless you work for Fox). It’s just that we are not being honest with ourselves. We have gotten so good at glancing over our experience here that we can devalue ourselves at a moments notice.

If we were being honest, then the real question would be:

Should Reverend Wright be out there talking facts and, thus, jeopardizing Sen. Obama’s chances for the Presidency because we know that great numbers of White voters in America are still so racist that they are in fear of a Black President?

Because that’s what this is about. Not competency. I doubt we could find anyone who ever took the SAT test less competent than George W. Bush. So it’s not about “acts”. It’s purely about RACE.

On the one hand is my father. “He needs to just shut-up. Stop stirring up all this stuff.”

I dare say that this is the prevalent pundit position.

Even still, the premise of this statement is remarkable: That those White folk intent on voting down racial lines could be fooled or lulled into voting for Senator Barack Obama by never bringing up America’s record (and for da record, Wright’s speech is in 2001).

That, except for Rev. Wright’s words, Senator Obama would’ve blown right past the tradition of White rule in America. “It’ll work as long as we don’t remind White folk about…the truth”. Seems silly but the converse is true and, in fact, has been Hillary Clinton’s entire campaign strategy these last two months.

Actually, this sentiment is what such Whites feel. That once he gets in it’s gonna all change. And if that’s what we want Senator Obama to do, doesn’t that make him as low as the man who said that “we will not nation build!” (George W. Bush)?

BLACK RULE

Although brilliant in his Philadelphia Race Speech, Senator Obama has been crunched a lil bit by Wright’s sincerity, power, loquaciousness and forthrightness. No matter how old. The “chicken’s coming home to roost” speech was prescient, biblical and absolutely correct. Moreover it’s the truth. As truthful as when Malcolm said it after Kennedy was killed. As truthful as it will be when Historians examine our time.

Published in : Blog Section, Obama Politics

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