There was a moment in class tonight when I felt like I was in the twilight zone. Some of the comments I heard were absolutely amazingly frightful coming from supposedly “educated and enlightened” individuals. I guess what was even more shocking was the fact that few others seemed bothered by some of the things said.
So here I go in an effort to voice my opinion. I probably won’t be very popular after this, but that’s never been a concern for me anyway.
There was a statement made something like “that’s because African men are more promiscuous” regarding the higher HIV infection rate among men in Africa.
Please don’t make statements like this unless you have data to back them up. Where is the evidence? Have you looked at what’s going on here and in China? China has the potential to be the next center for an HIV epidemic? Could it be because Chinese men like to spread the love around too, or could there possibly be something else going on????
In response to Jennifer’s statement regarding the risks associated with female genital mutilation and the spread of HIV infection, some one unleashed a fury against religion and the damage it does to public health in developing nations. I believe the poor people in these circumstances were referred to as “irrational” and “barbaric.”
Hmmmm. I could speak volumes on this one and would have had it not been for the fact that the speaker did not have time to address everyone’s comment.
I’m trying to figure out how you can be a public health professional focusing on global health when you view those you must help with such Western imperialistic disdain. We can’t help anyone unless we try to understand them, their values and their culture. Yes, we need to help them change their paradigm, but we can’t help them until we change ours. And remember, it's hard to shift your paradigm when you live on less than a $1 day. I’m also sure our less enlightened neighbors can look at us and the horrors that we accept in this country as “irrational” and “barbaric” as well. Racism, homelessness and hunger in a land of plenty is “irrational” and “barbaric.”
To quote one of my favorite teachers:
“Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.” Luke 6:42
Shift the Paradigm.
8 comments:
Rosie, I don't think these comments will be unpopular with the class, your completely right. The only way we are going to combat some of these views, is to vocalize and speak with truth. I know you tried to do just that and were not able to chime in. I agree, together we need o shift some paradigms.
Hi Rosie,
Clearly recognizing that all the comments you took offense to were made by me, I'd like to apologize. You're absolutely right about the inappropriateness of using the promuscuity of Arican men as an argument for the spread of AIDS in that continent. After reading this blog I researched the issue and absolutely agree with you. What I should have referred to was the large number of migrant workers in Africa and the risks associated with this.
On the other hand, regarding my comments on religion, again I apologize and I realized in class maybe I shouldn't have said what I said because that statement requires a greater discussion to create a more informative context.
Please don't think that I look upon anyone with a "Western Imperialist disdain", quit to the contrary I feel that the religious establishment in the west is the root of the irrationality which impedes progress in the world. Relgion by definition is an irrational endeavor, its based on faith, which has no reason for rationality. So for me to claim that religious zealots are irrational is not an insult its an observation. Second, "Western Imperialist disdain" I think is a statement more aptly reserved for missionaries who roam the world trying to indoctrinate what they call "natives", into accepting a dogma that places more significance on life after death, than on improving thier situation in this lifetime.
It is fact that no other one element of the human existence has led to more death and suffering than religion. Whether it was due to the crusades, inquisitions of various forms, the many wars fought in the name of religion, the European colonist effort to bring god to natives, the current Jihad of muslims, or just because of the passivity brought upon by ideologies that allow for a society in which exists such inequalities. So again I apologize for the comments I made, and I thank you for yours, but please try to engage me first before you pass judgement.
hey rosie, i agree with katrina, i don't think your comments are unpopular. there's a fine line between helping and hypocrisy, and hopefully we will be self-effacing helpers. i also really appreciate your point about having biases/prejudices that we may not even know about.
Hi Rosie. I was not in class Thursday, unfortunately I was not feeling well, so I can't reply directly to what I missed. I did want to say that many professors within our program report USC public health graduates as much better equipped in terms of cultural sensitivity and adaptability to communities than many other educated public health professionals, even at Ivy league level. I know that throughout my time with USC MPH, these concepts have been reinforced in my mind through coursework in a variety of classes in the program. So while I'm not justifying what might have been said in class, I'm confident that through discussions together we can find each other on the same page.
Hi Rosie,
I want to first start out by applauding your courage to write such a comment so openly on your blog. I know what it's like to have to defend the Latino community, a group that is also marginalized, and it's always with a big "gulp" that I do so. Sometimes you don't know what you are up against until you stick your neck out there. One of the big reasons why I spoke on the topic I did a few weeks ago was to help eliminate a lot of the public disdain that is out there regarding undocumented immigrants. I was very nervous before my presentation perhaps for the very same reason why you may have felt uneasy with advocating for African men. I am very appreciative to call you a classmate.
Rosie,
I understand and agree with your concerns about making harsh generalizations about peoples and cultures you don't completely understand.
But please recognize that this blog makes generalizations about the rest of the class that aren't necessarily true.
Also - and I'm sorry to say so, but I feel inclined to - please recognize that you are referencing the Bible in a way that is quite polarizing.
My personal belief is that we have more commonalities than differences and if we were to seek first a common ground, than I think we would not only recognize our profound ability to work together, but appreciate sharing thoughts and perspectives in a meaninful way.
Rosie,
I'm glad you expressed your feelings in this blog. After all, this blog is devoted to your reflections. I too was offended with the labelling of Africans as more promiscuous than other people. Could it be that they're not receiving any decent health care? That condoms are not as readily available to them as they are to us? That it's being spread by insufficient medical practiced. And, in conjunction with China as a potential to be an AIDS epidemic, I was just watching a special on PBS about how a large number of poorpeople in an area (i dont remember where) that were infected. Not because they were promiscuous, but because they were poor and they donated blood for a small monetary compensation. The needles used were not adequately sterilized and many were infected with HIV. If this happened in China, it very well could have also been a major cause of the spread of HIV in Africa.
And don't get me started on religion. Thank you for expressing your views.
And, THANKS for your thoughts.
Hello Rosie,
I was not in class that week, but I don't think your comments will make you unpopular. I hope that you will continue to be candid in your thoughts and reactions to comments made in class. We can't move forward if we're afraid to speak up. Keep speaking up, it helps understand each other better - and will help change paradigms. :)
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