(HARLEM, NY) I have taken a closer look at where we are today after years of supporting the national and local HIV prevention effort. New York City is my focus. It is the epicenter of HIV so my findings have relevance to other urban communities of color across America. From the onset, lets be clear and truthful. An entrenched gay dominated 'network' of powerful AIDS administrators from the 80s create and control AIDS policy in New York City and the Nation. Their primary prevention strategy is safe sex education and condom distribution. We've put over 20 years and $118 billion into their present HIV strategy. We've got no cure, no vaccine, and very little progress on prevention. Nevertheless, the Democratic Party has been blindly supporting this failed HIV prevention effort for years. Their refusal to seek out new and inspiring ideas in HIV prevention from on the ground HIV leaders is why I began looking more seriously at the Republican and Independent party.
First, I looked closely at the Republicans HIV prevention strategy. Nationally, the Republican Party is promoting faith based abstinence programs. I have publicly said many times that abstaining from sex until marriage is teenage HIV protection that works. In 2003, the Bush administration awarded more than $1 billion to hundreds of faith based groups, some of which hadn't received such public funds in the past. For anyone living in another part of the country, a billionaire Democrat turned Republican named Michael Bloomberg is Mayor of New York City. Regardless of his Republican affiliation, I can't find any press release or policy statement giving the Mayor's position on faith based initiatives. The Mayor's health department is largely silent on the faith based initiatives too. Whatever the Mayor's position, I realize abstinence by and of itself will not stop the spread of HIV in urban communities of color. Much more is needed. However, a faith based teenage abstinence program does challenge our teens to a higher standard.
The New York City Mayor in 2003 put together a commission of 'diverse individuals' to provide him with guidance on how to improve HIV prevention. For reasons beyond my understanding, the members selected are the same individuals responsible for the failed prevention effort of the Democrats. Not surprisingly, I could find no fresh ideas or policy that came from the 'Commission.' They primarily sought more money for the safe sex programs of the past. They also pushed the Mayor to launch the 'Faces of AIDS' awareness campaign. Is there anyone in New York City not aware of HIV and AIDS today? And how have these efforts fared? At the recent 2005 international AIDS conference, it was revealed that nearly three-quarters of the reported cases were from New York City. Among those cases, a striking 81% of new HIV infection were among black and Latinos. Shockingly, the HIV infection rate among African-Americans has doubled. Without a question, the data says the current HIV prevention effort has failed.
It is unfortunate that the Republican Mayor gets his advise from the same 'network' of AIDS administrators responsible for the Democrat supported prevention efforts that have failed so far to stop or slow the spread of HIV in communities of color. Clearly, the Mayor needs to hear from new 'independent' black leadership on stopping the spread of HIV in communities of color. People who think 'outside the box'.I attended two community forums in Harlem to hear the Mayor's most vocal supporter Dr. Lenora Fulani, a founding member of the New York State Independence Party. She talked about her support for New York City's Mayor Bloomberg's re election campaign and his plans. I listen without taking a position but one thing Dr. Fulani said resonated with me. She pointed out the fact that grass roots leaders like myself 'on the second and third rungs of politics' are largely ignored by the Democrats. She said 'the 2005 political season has set up an important opportunity for Black and Latino activists to 'create a new and independent leadership coalition that can take our communities and the city as a whole beyond the compromises and constraints of the old guard leadership.' She spoke directly to me when she said getting Mayor Bloomberg reelected in New York City 'with a big vote on the Independent Party's Column C means that my political clout grows for the second term and beyond.'
I have joined the Independent party based on that hope and vision. If Michael Bloomberg wins a second term as a result of independent supporters like me, I want to set at the table with the HIV leaders from the 80s and promote a complete accounting of their HIV prevention efforts from top to bottom. I believe the evidence will show that mistaken beliefs, wrong thinking, and inflexibility has contributed to our present situation. In other words, let's rethink HIV prevention by questioning all the old assumptions about HIV and AIDS. Yes, it is time for a change. Peace out.
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