As you read this you may be thinking that you are going to read about all of the desperate orphans left to fend for themselves because of the horrible AIDS crisis in Africa. Actually, this, in my opinion, is not the great crisis in Africa. It will probably shock you to read that I believe that if you were to look more deeply into the AIDS situation in Africa you may be stunned to find out that the facts do not support the media hysteria. I would urge you to read the excellent article by Rian Malan, “AIDS in Africa: In search of the Truth,” first published in “Rolling Stone,” November 22, 2001 or the book “Inventing the AIDS Virus” by Peter H. Duesberg, 1996. If you have less time available a little research on these two subjects may help you: 1) the clinical diagnosis of AIDS in Africa as developed in Bangui by the World Health Organization as it compares to how AIDS is diagnosed in the rest of the world; and 2) how an “orphan” is designated in Africa. For now, on the subject of AIDS in Africa I will let you assume that I am some sort of kook. Now read on.
In 1955 the World Health Organization announced a world-wide war on malaria and in 1957 the U.S. Congress adopted the same policy. Because of this, by 1967 malaria was eradicated from all developed countries as well as large areas of tropical Asia and Latin America. Before this time 300-400 million persons every year contracted malaria with three to four million dying from the scourge. What turned the tide against malaria was DDT. But, wait, you say, isn’t there a ban against DDT. Exactly, because of fervor created by Rachel Carson’s environmentalist book “Silent Spring”, EPA administrator, William Ruckelshaus in 1972 banned DDT because he said it “posed a carcinogenic risk.” Ruckelshaus did this despite the fact that the EPA had concluded in its own hearings that DDT was not a carcinogenic hazard to man and the World Health Organization publicly stated there were “no grounds to abandon” DDT and that its discontinuation “would be a disaster to world health.”
Ah, so what, big deal you say. Malaria, by 1972 had been eradicated in the developed world. Who gives a rip? Well, a lot of people don’t give a rip. In fact, most people in evangelical churches are being assailed by Christian leaders who are chanting, along with Bono, that if we really cared about people in Africa we would be shipping lots more help to Africa (usually, by the way, most of the Western help comes in the form of condoms). Meanwhile, literally, the scourge of malaria is killing millions—all because of the American ban on DDT. Here is what Roy Innis, national chairman of the Congress of Racial Equality wrote to President Bush. This is worth reading:
The United States and Europe eradicated malaria after World War II, using pesticides and other measures. But today, this vicious killer still infects 300,000,000 people every year in developing countries—more than live in the entire United States. It kills as many as 2,000,000 every year—the population of Houston, Texas: another father, mother, or child every 15 seconds. Nearly 90 percent of these victims are in sub-Saharan Africa, and the vast majority are children and pregnant women. Since 1972, at least 50 million people have died from malaria. Heaven alone knows how many might have lived, if their countries had been able to control this mosquito-borne disease.
Okay, you think, why must this problem be our problem. Well, because those of us living in the United States have allowed our stupidity to influence the world and it has been downright (and literally) unhealthy. The United States Agency for International Development and other Western donors have not financed any use of DDT and now institutions like WHO and its malaria program, actively discourage countries from using it. Perhaps in human history no greater harm has been done from such wanton ignorance and political correctness.
I appeal to you to look into this issue. Be willing to actually examine the scientific information. Set aside your preconceived notions and let the facts speak for themselves. If you see that I am right; then I plead with you in the compassion of Christ to consider how you would feel if it was your child dying of malaria. Don’t let ignorance regarding this real and present problem stop you and don’t let the media and certain Christian leaders sidetrack you with PC rhetoric.
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