Secrecy of "being on the DL" and "no snitching" killing African-Americans

I've written here about the insanity of the "no snitching" code in the black community in the US, generally, but here in Kansas City, specifically, when people--usually always young men--shoot and/or kill other blacks yet witnesses say nothing to the police. It's this "no snitching" rule that keeps the shooters out on the streets, in the communities, shooting still others and impervious to the police or justice.

It is insanity.

A second ugly reality struck me today, having listened to NPR's "Fresh Air" program by Terri Gross, et. al about how the secrecy of men in the black community being "on the DL" or "down-low" about either being gay and/or participating in gay sex yet not being honest about it is also killing black men and women, both.

Some statistics:

--In 1986, roughly 20 percent of all of the people in the United States who were living with AIDS were African-American," Robert Fullilove, professor of clinical sociomedical studies at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, and chairman of the HIV/AIDS advisory committee at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "The most recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control indicate that 45 percent of all the new cases of HIV infection are amongst African-Americans."

--In 2009, black men accounted for 70% of the estimated new HIV infections among all blacks. The estimated rate of new HIV infection for black men was more than six and a half times as high as that of white men, and two and a half times as high as that of Latino men or black women.

--In 2009, black men who have sex with men (MSM)1 represented an estimated 73% of new infections among all black men, and 37% among all MSM. More new HIV infections occurred among young black MSM (aged 13–29) than any other age and racial group of MSM. In addition, new HIV infections among young black MSM increased by 48% from 2006–2009.

--In 2009, black women accounted for 30% of the estimated new HIV infections among all blacks. Most (85%) black women with HIV acquired HIV through heterosexual sex. The estimated rate of new HIV infections for black women was more than 15 times as high as the rate for white women, and more than three times as high as that of Latina women.

--Blacks are 13% of the US population but make up 49% of the AIDS cases in the country.




I wasn't personally aware that AIDS in the black community is epidemic and that it's killing both black men and women at record rates.

It's a horrible, unnecessary tragedy and it needs to stop.

And one of the ways it can and must stop is for all blacks in America--those of faith and those without--to stop thinking or believing that same-sex attraction is new to humanity, that it's "against nature" and "God's will" and that it's wrong. The homophobia and fear and even hate, must end.

This will be asking a great deal, at least, I know.

The social stigma of being both black and gay in the US is so strong and heavy that it's not only keeping people from being who they actually are, it's also killing these men and women.

The radio show today also pointed out that the "corrections" system in America and drug use as well as poverty is also propelling the incidents of AIDS to these record levels.

This situation has many roots. America needs to start addressing this problem, these problems, and all their sources so we can halt these unnecessary illnesses and tragic deaths.

Links: http://www.npr.org/2012/07/05/156292172/aids-in-black-america-a-public-health-crisis

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/aids/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/endgame-aids-in-black-america/

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/aa/

http://www.avert.org/hiv-african-americans.htm

http://www.womenshealth.gov/minority-health/african-americans/hiv-aids.cfm/

http://www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=3019