New Health Care Initiative? How about Racism and Medicine?

(originally published 2/24/09) "By 1938, the situation had grown so dire that Dr. Louis T. Wright of Harlem Hospital declared, “The A.M.A. has demonstrated as much interest in the health of the Negro as Hitler has in the health of the Jew.”




Dear friends,

The piece on the link below came out last year (2008). However, I deliberately waited to post the link to it on this blog until President Obama was in office. Our health care system suffers from far more than simply how the businesses that run the aforementioned system get paid. Moreover, aside from the fact that mental health is not covered in the same context as its physical counterpart, when, at least, as much of both our personal and social maladies emanate from our mentally unhealthy society, the persistence of racism in the way that many are cared for - and by whom, should be addressed. Is that a problem for an African American president? If so, why?

One Love,
G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/health/views/29essa.html?ex=1218254400&en=86180c2260b5574c&ei=5070&emc=eta1 Read full post

A Father's message to young parents and others [Raising your daughter(s), Pt. 3] - first posted 11/25/08

In light of the recent Sarah Palin spectacle, how can you teach your daughter that she is equal to everyone else in capabilities, based upon the reality that everyone has both strengths and weaknesses?



Dr. Namandje Ne'fertiti Bumpus
*****************************************
Dear friends,

In light of the recent Sarah Palin spectacle, how can you teach your daughter that she is equal to everyone else in capabilities, based upon the reality that everyone has both strengths and weaknesses?

The first thing that you have to do is start teaching her to be comfortable with making judgments and decisions. As human beings, we are always making judgments, just to walk up a flight of stairs, or put the "right" amount of food on a fork, for that matter.

Nevertheless, ours is a sexist society that deliberately has its institutions set up to make girls and women feel inferior, so that men can have a false sense of superiority and, thus, hide their insecurities and inadequacies. Yet, those inner fears of males have a great deal to do with murder, lecherous greed, and other insults that people impose on one another that are so rampant in human civilization.

Therefore, as her father, you must give your daughter(s) the space to take chances and make judgments on her own, instead of doing everything for her or babying her. These days, there are many activities, including various games and sports that she can play and, simultaneously, gain confidence in her ability to make good choices.

What happens far too often, unfortunately, is: Many men tend to pamper their daughters to the point where the latter feel insecure about decision-making, because their “Daddy” always takes care of everything. By her teenage years, she meets some knucklehead who is trying to impress her by “taking charge – and care - of her”. The girl becomes comfortable with that, because she learned that a little whining or whatever she did to manipulate her father gets her whatever it is that she wants. Then, for whatever reason, the boy does not deliver. Or, even worse, gets her involved in something that alters the direction of her life. Before long, she begins to feel that every time she makes a decision, it is the “wrong” one. Next, comes the depression, distrust for others, alcohol, pills and other drugs, as she tries to run from herself. Meanwhile, she continues to find herself in relationships where someone else makes the decisions (e.g., spending money) for her.

The other day, during a phone conversation with my middle child (now adult) and oldest daughter who is a professor and medical scientist at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, she mentioned that even while doing sports, many young girls are afraid to take chances. She gave an example about having to deal with that when she coached a young girl's basketball team a few years back, and how the boys would dive after the loose ball, but the girls (often having been told to not "scrape up" their knees by their mothers) would just let the ball roll right by them. I asked her to write it down, and this is what she had to say, below:

The point I was making was not about them not wanting to scrape their knees. I don't think they even thought that far ahead because it was such a programmed response, and it has nothing to do with that. It is so much bigger than that, and to say that they didn't dive for simple fear of scraping their knees is much like saying (as you always taught me) that celebrating Black History Month is only about noting the accomplishments and inventions of individuals.

It is a minor thread of an intricately woven fabric. It has to do with creating this distinct line between how girls (women) and how boys (men) are supposed to act with respect to their roles in society. It is complete nonsense. To say that a man should be paying for something because he is male and it is his job is to accept that women should also play into the role of being less capable.

Gender is much different than sex and we have to eliminate it. Sex is, of course, biologically relevant but gender roles are social constructions that are completely out-dated. We cannot be okay with getting rid of some and not getting rid of others. Instead of this idea of what a "man" is or a "woman" is, which means nothing, we all need to be viewed simply as human beings with the ability and responsibility to contribute equally to society.

Particular interactions and relationships, therefore, must be governed by principles. They should not be connected by gender-related expectations. For instance , equal pay for equal work and the acknowledgment that decisions regarding monetary contributions to the household should be based on financial health and strength and not gender. There are obvious biological differences between males and females. Certainly, males and females are not the same. However, those differences have no bearing on my ability or responsibility with regard to paying a mortgage, dinner bill or engaging in service to my community and society.

Those are my thoughts, basically; you have heard it before.

Namandje
Thanks, Dr. Bumpus. Enough said.

Peace & Love,

G. Djata Bumpus Read full post

Looking back: Sandy Banks on Michael Vick's Humane Move (oruginally posted 7/26/12)

"The story of Philadelphia Eagles QB Michael Vick has been covered by the mainstream media pretty well. He was convicted of cruelty to animals (dog-fighting), served time, and returned to te NFL as a star.
Dear friends, "

The story of Philadelphia Eagles QB Michael Vick has been covered by the mainstream media pretty well. He was convicted of cruelty to non-human animals (dog-fighting), served time, and returned to the NFL as a star. However, what hasn't been given so much notice is his well-earned redemption for the bad deeds of which he was guilty, until now. On the link below, the legendary Los Angeles Times columnist Sandy Banks delivers her usual informative, thought-provoking, and inspirational account of Vick's salvation . Enjoy!

G. Djata Bumpus

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0724-banks-vick-dogs-20120724,0,4170119.column Read full post

Honoring Our Fighting Men and Women on Veteran's Day

"...there has hardly been a single skirmish in North American history, over the past three centuries or twelve grandmothers' lifetimes, in which African American soldiers have not either killed or been killed or wounded.''
Dear friends,

The outstanding African American scholar and historian Vincent Harding has written, "...it was on the edges of our continent that the long struggle for Black freedom began." - There is a River

Each Memorial Day we mark the beginning of summertime and cookouts. There is, to some extent, as well, the remembrance of US soldiers who have died in battles for both freedom and profit.

However, throughout the festivities, most people in the United States take for granted the security that we enjoy. Yet, it is in no small part due to the historic courage of African American soldiers fighting alongside their non-African American counterparts (who before the war of Independence, were mostly British, with some German and Dutch - no Irish, Italinn, Polish, or Jewish ones), whether in segregated or non-segregated units, that has brought us to this present point of relative peace and prosperity.

To be sure, the roles of people of African descent began with our predecessors fighting on both sides of the various conflicts. Still, even though our forebears fought on both sides, they have helped to liberate all North Americans.

For example, in The Negro in Colonial New England, author Lorenzo Johnston Greene cites that one year prior to the Declaration of Independence, ‘’when Paul Revere and William Dawes aroused the Massachusetts countryside on that memorable night of April 18 - they called Negro as well as white Minutemen to the defense of American liberties.’’ Peter Salem of Framingham, Job Potomea and Isaiah Barjonah of Stoneham, Cuff Whitemore of Cambridge were a few of the many African American warriors who rode with Revere and others in the now famous call to arms against British imperialism.

Of course, although African American soldiers have become part of a military force that, throughout time, has served as more of an enemy to them than a friend, the reasons for these Black soldiers fighting has rarely been mercenary. Instead, as many of their European American counterparts have done, Black soldiers fight, not only for the pay, but out of a genuine feeling of "fighting for freedom" in the abstract, along with the opportunity to feel powerful as individuals, in a seemingly powerless existence.

In any case, hardly ever mentioned, if not avoided altogether, in discussions concerning the African American experience are the historic roles of African American women in preserving the heritage of our people in the midst of a "double jeopardy", that is, being African American and a woman. (see essay by Francis Beale called "Double Jeopardy: To Be Black and Female"," from The Black Woman, edited by Toni Cade Bambara)

Although they have been victimized, historically, from almost everyone in society, African American women have continued to have an unchallenged influence on North America by virtue of the fact that they have preserved the African American culture, at times almost single-handedly.

Moreover, African American women are tough workers and great fighters. Lately, there has been a cry by Western feminists regarding all women being allowed to join active fighting units in the military. Of course, African American women have a long history of taking part in North American warfare, long before names like Harriet Tubman became widely known, and ever since, with warriors like the Black Panther Party’s and Black Liberation Army’s Assata Shakur (who now lives in Cuba).

Nevertheless, while the name of Sojourner Truth who on more than one occasion had to ask her European American counterparts, "Ain't I a woman?", is fairly recognizable, few are familiar with the story of Ida B. Wells. She was a genuine gun-toting liberator (in fact, she carried two guns).

After the lynching of three African American businessmen in her native Memphis, Tennessee, about 120 years or five generations ago, Wells began a personal crusade of justice for her people that included lectures, rallies and other forms of protest.

Additionally, readers should be reminded that Ida received a great deal of support from her African American sisters. She was no lone nut. Her fight lasted for decades (see When And Where I Enter, by Paula Giddings.)

At any rate, there has been hardly a single skirmish in North American history, over the past three centuries or twelve grandmothers' lifetimes, in which African American soldiers have not either killed or been killed or wounded. Yet, Black soldiers have not only been infantry fighters. For there have always been military leaders of African descent who have helped shape military campaigns or administrate both war and peacetime units. More importantly, African American soldiers, as a whole, have helped secure liberties, without which, few people who make up our current U.S. A. citizenry, would even have the opportunity to call themselves "American", much less "white."

Cheers!

Happy Veteran's Day!!!

G. Djata Bumpus Read full post

Malcolm X on the March on Washington

Dear friends,

Growing up in activist family, I remember this period quite well. Also, the tape on the link below by Malcolm being circulated throughout Black communities in America, during that time. This claim by Malcolm wasn't refuted then, and to this very day hasn't been! That super Uncle Tom congressman John Lewis is still around basking about the "Civil Rights Movement".

G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sj3szUt8Ak Read full post