HIV/AIDS…More of a Black Issue than you Thought

As I am studying for my BioChemistry and Cell Biology Exam, I stumbled across an interesting sidenote in some extra reading I was doing (yes, I do extra reading…yes, I’m a nerd…I embrace it). I will attempt to summarize the findings as simply as possible, so bear with me.

Roughly 900 years ago, the Black Plague hit Europe, killing roughly 1/3 of its population. Most who survived The Plague survived due to an advantageous mutation in their alleles of the gene producing CCR-5. What is CCR-5? CCR-5 is the name of part of a macrophage, which are the part of our body’s immune system that eats invading viruses and bacteria.

Normally, exposure to HIV results in the CCR-5 producing macrophage to be “hijacked” by the virus and used against the host to propagate infection. However, in its mutated form, CCR-5 is strong enough to basically beast the virus and devour it. In other words, if one is homozygous for this mutant allele (i.e. carry two copies of the mutated gene), they are immune to HIV/AIDS. Those heterozygous for it (i.e. carry only one copy of the mutated gene) still have some protection from the virus. But, those that have no copies for the mutation are fully susceptible to HIV infection.

It appears as though the mutated form of this allele originated in the general area of Sweden, and extended to most of North Western Europe. This mutation seems to have occurred well before The Plague hit, meaning that when it swept through Europe, it more or less eliminated those without the defect, leaving a large percentage of the population carrying those mutated alleles.

Through gene editing, scientists are working on a way to confer this immunity to everyone. Now, don’t get your hopes up too quickly. As you may or may not know, there is much we still don’t know about gene interactions, and it is more or less and trail-and-error method being used…meaning, the solution could come tomorrow or in 10 years, but it does seem that it is out there.

Surprised? I know I still am. But, wait…it doesn’t stop here...

Not only do many White people have a mutation that gives them an advantage, but Blacks have one that gives them a disadvantage. I kid you not (you know, at times like these, it feels like sometimes you just can’t win). The mutation originally was beneficial, as it kept Africans immune to malaria. However, it now renders people of African descent 40% more likely to catch HIV. Apparently, the mutation’s benefit is that it slows progression of HIV, giving the infected individual a whole 2 years more of life…whoopty-doo, two more years to a shortened, disease-ridden life. Roughly 90% of Africans and 60% of African Americans carry the mutation...those are some high percentages.

Makes you rethink some things, right? Like…how heavily are all the HIV/AIDS statistics influenced by these findings? Are Blacks and Whites engaging in the same potentially dangerous behaviors at the same rates, but these mitigating factors are drastically skewing the results? Or even worse, are Whites participating in riskier sexual behavior (as has been suggested in the gay community), but just aren't reaping the consequences? Clearly, we can't just ignore the social factors that contribute to the statistics (such a poverty, inadequate health care, etc), however, certainly genetics play a major role. But what can you do? This genetic information is just more of a reason the Black community needs to practice safe sex or abstinence. Until this immunity to HIV is developed, all I can say is WRAP IT UP!

My Laugh of the Day

Since it is finals week, I will keep this post short. So, I was studying in the bookstore today (the campus bookstore is huge, and includes a full-sized Barnes & Noble, so there is plenty of reading space). Anywho, I enjoy studying in public places with plenty of white noise in the background (as I tend to recite aloud and/or make odd noises while I study…don’t ask, it just helps me concentrate and remember things). But, there was one conversation today that I just could not tune out. So, this white woman plops down at the table behind me (now, normally I wouldn’t pay any mind to the people around me, but she took 10 minutes to get settled and was making unnecessary noises the whole time). About an hour after she sat down a store worker walked by. I kid you not, she snapped at him as if he was her waiter, “Hey you!” (whistle and snaps)…the nerve of some people! (Everyone in the area turned their heads) She then proceeded to ask him a series of arbitrary questions about books scattered throughout the two-story building (not even in his section). Here comes the kicker: she then asked what was the deal with putting all of those Barack books on display in front of the Starbuck’s area. Now, this guy (bless his heart) is an über hippie young white guy. Their conversation proceeded something like this…

Woman: What’s the deal with all those Barack books on display over there?
Dude: Um…we’re a bookstore? We put books on display? (clearly confused)
Woman: I mean, I don’t see any McCain books displayed…
Dude: …
Woman: On a campus of an institution such as this, I would expect neutrality, in regards to politics. What sort of an agenda are you trying to push anyway?!?
Dude: I believe the Obama books are on display because they’re on sale…
Woman: Well, why aren’t McCain’s books on sale??
Dude: I think its just because Obama’s books are really popular. We keep selling out–
Woman: - yeah yeah yeah. But you all should be promoting McCain as much as you do Obama. You are not here to push your own agenda!
Dude: Uh, I really just think its because we’re a bookstore and his books are very popular...

Now, this dialogue proceeded as such for the next 10 minutes or so, with them each repeating the same 1-2 sentences. You do not even know…your girl nearly fell out! Maybe it was because I had been studying for entirely too long, but I found this interaction hysterical! I’m pretty certain this young man had nothing to even do with that section of the store. When asked about McCain’s books, I don’t think he was even certain McCain had written a book, let alone where to find them in the store if they did exist. Beyond looking utterly confused, I think he thought (as did the rest of us) that this woman had just lost her mind. And, hey…why couldn’t she get it through her thick skull the simplicity of the matter: if you want McCain’s books on display, they need to be popular (especially among college students, as this is a college campus…take your middle-aged self to the burbs)…and, if you want his books to sell, you need McCain to be personable and interesting…none of which he is to me. Actually, the more I watch him, the more socially awkward he appears. Did anyone catch him with the Dalai Lama?!? I think all those botox injections are starting to spread through McCain’s whole being…talk about a walking stiff!!! Lol… But, why does McCain look like he's using the Dalai Lama as a cane?!? Even if he is 72, that is still inappropriate!! (sidenote: the Dalai Lama is only 1 year older than McCain) Lololol...ok, let me stop…

Disney goes Black

The Princess and the Frog.

In case you haven't heard, Disney's 48th animated film, The Princess and the Frog (an adaptation of the classic Grimm's fairy tale, The Frog Princess) is Disney's first African American animated film. All I can say is, "it is about time!"....we all know The Lion King just wasn't cutting it. Directed by the people that brought us Aladdin, Hercules, and The Little Mermaid, I'm excited to hear the musical score. The central character in the film, Princess Tiana, will be voiced by Anika Noni Rose (you might remember her from a little film called Dreamgirls) and her mother will be brought to life by none other than Angela Bassett...yay! To top it off, the film is set in 1920's New Orleans jazz era in the Garden District of the French Quarters. I'm excited!!!

However, let's rewind for a moment.

Princess Tiana was originally Maddy the chambermaid, but thanks to protests, the name was changed and she was made a princess. Ummm...is anyone else confused?!? I'd really like to know how these Disney creators planned on telling the classic tale of The Frog Princess using a chambermaid...a black chambermaid that starts out working for a spoiled, rich, white Southern debutante named Charlotte, nonetheless...really though?!? I know Disney has a history of racial insensitivity (if not downright racism and stereotypical views of all things not white), but come, come now...it is 2008 (or 2009 when the film is set for release).

And, as a good friend told me on AIM, "[D]isney never fails to coon someone out!!!...having that bug looking like someone's crack head uncle!" That "bug" would be Ray, the lovesick Cajun firefly...but, he is nearly Disney's first cooned-out, stereotyped animated character (random insert: Princess Tiana's derriere is HUGE...). Let's see...there was Sebastian, everyone's favorite lil' Jamaican crab in The Little Mermaid and his other fish buddies (including the 'blackfish'). How can we forget the lovable, lazy, jobless crows from Dumbo, as well as King Louie from The Jungle Book??? Yeah, since the beginning, Disney has had a way of covertly and overtly suggesting the inferiority of Blacks. If my brief list has interested you, I suggest you take a look at Ben Joseph's extended list. And do you know what's nearly at the top of the list? A: Song of the South.

I kid you not, I don't even remember watching this movie as a child, but, like many others, I vividly recall its hit song Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah. To summarize the movie, it is about an old black man happily working on a plantation post-Civil War South (actually, having watched this I agree with the statement that this movie depicts life as a Black on a plantation through the vantage point of an acid-trip). As Mr. Joseph so cleverly put it,

"It's as if someone made a children's musical about Jews in post-World War II Germany that had a number titled 'Hey! Nothing Bad Has Happened to Us, Ever.'"

Anyways, how does this tie in to The Princess and the Frog? Its rather simple (and sad). The Song of the South has yet to be released on home video...keyword: yet. Disney's apparently considering re-releasing it on home DVD (after a few modifications, I'm sure) and they want to put a preview of The Princess and the Frog on the DVD. As I say...there is always a motive. Now, why would Disney do this? The answer's simple. When people protest and raise objections against the Song of the South (which, you know they will), Disney can turn to The Princess and the Frog and say that this is the "new" Disney that doesn't use narrow-minded, stereotypical views to depict Blacks. Will this work? Probably not. As previously mentioned, The Princess and the Frog has already created its own controversy about portraying stereotypical images of blacks...in order for this trick of Disney's to work, it needed to be above reproach. I hear Disney might try this Song of the South release this upcoming winter...time will tell.

Eh, either way, this Black chick is excited for the release of The Princess and the Frog next year. And, I'm hoping that since the film is currently in production, extensive editing and revisions will make it a true masterpiece. It is about time that Black children have Disney characters they can identify with other than Simba, Sebastian, King Louie, and the three backup singers in Hercules! Yay!!! However, if that frog turns out to be a White Prince...oh, boy...Disney better brace itself for that backlash!

Barack's Prayer

I was watching The View the other day, and was aghast to discover that someone had removed Sen. Barack Obama’s prayer from the Western Wall. Let’s review the history of The Wall briefly. More commonly referred to as the Wailing Wall, the actual site dates all the way back to 19 BC, supposedly built by King David himself. While The Wall stretches down and around Israel, 60 feet of it is dedicated to prayers. God has promised that The Wall would never be destroyed, and to this day it still stands. According to the sages, when one prays at The Wall “it is as if he has prayed before the throne of glory because the gate of heaven is situated there and it is open to hear prayer.” Dating back to 1743, people have placed their people place their prayers on slips of papers and insert them into The Wall, where they are said to directly ascend into heaven. Millions have come to The Wall over the centuries, including religious pilgrims and foreign heads of states.

But, Obama’s visit was different. Visiting The Wall on July 24^th, wrote a prayer note and placed it in the wall, just as millions before him had done. Now normally, prayers are removed twice a year and placed in a repository of religious items, where it is guarded so human eyes never behold the messages. However, unlike previous visitors, his note was subsequently removed from The Wall and read by none other than a group of Jewish seminary students. And then, it was published by an Israeli newspaper. This series of unethical events is despicable, although the message of the note was, in my opinion, humbly beautiful.

I have hesitation quoting the note, but since it is published and Google-able, I’ll save you the trouble of searching for it. The alleged note (as it is unconfirmed that it is Sen. Obama’s) reads,

“Lord — Protect my family and me. Forgive me my sins, and help me guard against pride and despair. Give me the wisdom to do what is right and just. And make me an instrument of your will.”

Simply beautiful.

Now, for the ugliness of the situation - this sacrilegious action against the holiest site in Judaism, by a group of Jewish seminarians…and, as a joke. Of all people, these boys should have reverence for this holy site. According to Jonathan Rosenblum, an esteemed Jewish Orthodox, "Anybody who goes to the Western Wall and places a note there does so under the assumption that it's a private communication between him and God, and therefore once he has that presumption of confidentiality, there are rabbinic decrees against reading anybody else's private communications." To me, what this group did is beyond comprehension.

Personally, I feel that they should be booted out of the seminary. If they cannot be trusted in this simple matter, of which they had no business even involving themselves, how on earth are they to be trusted as rabbis with the confidentiality they are supposed to guarantee in such a role. According to CNN, after placing his prayer in The Wall, reporters asked Obama what he wrote. He declined to share his prayer and told them that it was a private conversation between him and God. While some are simple enough to debate whether this act of desecration inhibited Obama’s prayer from reaching God, I know for a fact that since God knows all, sees all, created all, He knows Obama’s intentions, his heart, and what he wrote on that piece of paper, even if it was removed from The Wall.

I do pray for Obama, his family, and their safety. It is a rough position to be in as anybody running for a political office, let alone running for President of the United States, let alone as the first Black man who truly has a shot at winning. Your entire past under scrutiny, every move you make, and every thing you say and do recorded and analyzed by people who are just sitting around, waiting for you to slip up and show that you are in fact human. Personally, I would crack…talk about being under a magnifying lens…I would fry! But, Sen. Obama appears to be holding his own, standing strong, and praying guidance. When something as private and off-limits as a prayer makes its way to front-page headlines, all that is left to do is pray.

Was July Black Appreciation Month and No One told Me?!? (Part III)

A month in review
CNN Presents: Black in America.

The three segments featured were The Black Woman & Family, The Black Man, and King Assassination. While I appreciate the Special Report and the manner in which Soledad O’Brien went about presenting the segments, I must say, nothing in the reports was new information to me. I suppose some of the information came as a surprise to some people, I was just not one of those individuals. I am not sure what I was expecting to see when I clicked on the tube, but it certainly was not Black People 101. I felt like the miniseries was the equivalent of taking an introductory course to a foreign culture, except that I am native, making it all redundant. Nothing new or profound was presented in the series. As bad as it might sound, I did not even want to watch after the first episode. It seemed like a waste of time to sit and watch a long documentary/discussion that was presenting old information. (I did stop watching after the second segment, sorry Dr. King) As much as I wanted to support the special series by giving them my ratings, I had studying to do – would hate to become a statistic of unfulfilled potential.

I sincerely appreciate the effort put forth by CNN and Ms O’Brien to even undertake such an initiative. It is not an easy task, and for a first shot at it, it was not too bad. I think the only surprising part of the documentary was that the overly verbose Reverend Dr. Michael Eric Dyson has a younger brother in jail for life (the situation in and of itself is not surprising, I just did not know Dyson was in that situation). And Soledad…talk about a no-holds-bar approach… [Soledad to Dyson’s brother] “So basically you helped destroy and corrupt the community you brother was working so hard to build up. How does that make you feel?” A little rough there Soledad, don’t you think? But, she did keep it real and avoided beating around the bush, which I appreciate. And I did chuckle when my man Dr. Cornel West began talking about the genius of the fool that is Lil’ Wayne. That discussion was, in my words, priceless! lol

My friend wrote a blog about this same issue. Check it out. He has much more to say about the subject than me. I think the word I would use to describe CNN's documentary is underwhelming. Nope, I'm not even sure that is a word, but I do feel that it is highly applicable in this situation. Actually, in my review, we are 2 for 3 for underwhelming appreciation of Black America (CNN and ah-hem AMA apology ::cough cough::), with Vogue Italia as the outlier (thank you, Vogue Italia!)...Ummmm...Do better, America.