Black People Have Historical Reasons To Be Suspicious Of Vaccine
History has not been kind to Black people in regards to the government's treatment of us from a medical perspective. The infamous Tuskegee experiment, which began in 1932, is perhaps the most well-known of the medical atrocities by the government on Black people. Sterilization sanctioned by the state is as American as apple pie when it comes to women of color, in general, and Black women, in particular. One example is what occurred in North Carolina between 1930 to 1970, 65 percent of the 7,600- plus sterilizations that were ordered by the state, were carried out on Black women.
American history is full of Government – federal, state, and local – committing acts of inhumane treatment towards Black people. J. Marion Sims, whom many consider the "Father of Modern Gynecology", experimented on enslaved women. Many of his "medical breakthroughs" came from performing experiments on these women without using anesthesia. He treated these Black women like lab rats, not human beings.
From Government to physicians, Black people have been lied to and mistreated, so naturally there is a trust issue. Can we get past it? I hope we can because our lives and the lives of our loved ones, are hanging in the balance.
First of all, as hard as this might be, we have to trust the science and the medical experts; COVID- 19 ain't no joke!
I understand the reluctance of people of color to believe the government has their best interest at heart. Native Americans still remember the small pox infected blankets the government passed out to them to hasten their demise.
I get it, Black, Brown, and Native people don't trust the government, plain and simple!
Here's the thing, this virus is a killer to the tune of millions of Americans infected and hundreds-of-thousands dead.
It didn't have to be this way, had we had competent leadership in the Oval Office. Since we didn't have the leadership we needed, the virus has been allowed to run rampant across this country. Eleven Months of failed leadership and public denial of the seriousness of COVID- 19, and Trump has asked us to trust him. This is the man who wanted us to drink bleach and place ultraviolet lights in our bodies to combat the virus.
We are not trusting anything that falls out of Trump's face!
We don't have to wonder if he is lying to us, we already know he's a liar. What we as Black people need to do is listen to the doctors and the scientists, not the Orange- One and his minions. This virus is killing us disproportionately more than White folks, so we have to listen to the science, not the noise.
When Trump's "Operation Warp Speed" was first announced, my first thought was, "I'm not rushing to get that mess!" Why? Because I don't trust anything associated with him and America's history of medical experimentation on Black bodies. Those of you who are skeptic, I feel you!
Please hear me now Black people. This is not about the Liar - In – Chief. Don't rely on what he says. Listen to medical professionals like Dr. Fauci and the Centers for Disease Control so you can make an informed decision for you and your family. Black people have a legitimate reason for doubting White people's words and motives when it comes to medicine and medical treatments on our bodies.
In a Pew survey, 57 percent of Black people said they would not take the shot. Dr. Fauci is aware of this as well, that's why he said this. "The very vaccine that's one of the two that has absolutely exquisite levels -94 to 95% efficacy against clinical disease and almost 100% efficacy against serious disease that are shown to be clearly safe-that vaccine was actually developed in my institute's vaccine research center by a team of scientists led by Dr. Barney Graham and his close colleague, Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett."
That's right, a Black woman was instrumental in the making of the vaccine! Dr. Corbett has earned my trust and confidence, I hope she has earned yours. Dr. Fauci further states that it would be terrible if Americans choose not to take the vaccine.
Of course, Agent Orange wants to take credit for the vaccine, but not the hundredsof thousands of deaths due to his failed leadership. You don't get credit for bringing a garden hose to a house fire you let get out of control; it doesn't work that way Donnie!
Black people, we are a long way from Tuskegee and we can't let fears from the past prevent us from taking something that will allow us to live today and in to the future.
Choose wisely, my people, not based on your feelings and past fears, but based on scientific facts. As for me, I would get the shot on TV without hesitation if that would give one person, confidence to do the same. Be safe and listen to the science!
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