Continuing the Discussion on HIV/AIDS

This week (12/02/07) I will be talking with two persons who are HIV/AIDS positive. One brother, David Lee, (see picture in set) who contracted it from another brother. He'll be joining me from Seattle, Washington and a young lady that lives in Princess Anne, Maryland, who contracted it by..... well,,, you may be surprise to learn how she contracted it. Tune in to find out. These interviews are attempts to increase the awareness of HIV/AIDS. A special thank you to Mr. Lee and Ms. X who are willing to share with the world a bit of their personal lives.

HIV/AIDS; A Weapon of African American Mass Destruction

Dr. John W. Hogan MD in Gastrointestinal Diseases and Medical Officer at several Washington D.C. Hospitals and an HIV Specialist and Tavania Chester an HIV/AIDS Case Manager in Cambridge, Md., were my guests this past week on the Called2Action radio program. Our Topic HIV/AIDS. An appropriate topic in light of the fact that on December 1, annually it's HIV/AIDS awareness day. This disease continues to destroy our community, particularly African American women. Nationally, African Americans account for 13% of the total population, but we are 49% of the HIV/AID cases in the US --- not to mention what's happening on the continent of Africa. For persons 25 years and younger, 61% of cases are African American. The state of Maryland has the 3rd highest rate in the nation. We talked about causes, and the importance of partners being tested together. If you have a friend that you will be intimate with, this type of testing is particularly important. The severity of the problem is increasing, and as always families, churches, schools and other organizations have a role in addressing the problem from a preventative mode and a supportive mode, if in fact it's been contracted. Young people should encourage each other to be tested. There is medication today that will allow persons with HIV to live a normal life.

A Called2Action Town Meeting with Wicomico County's Highest Elected Official

Wicomico County's First County Executive Richard Pollitt was my guest on 11/18/2007. Contrary to the desires of the African American community to have this new form of government, our entire community must accept it, and make every effort to make certain that it works for the entire community particularly the least of these. I expressed a concern with Rick that was shared with him when he ran for office --- increasing the number of African Americans in paid policy making positions in the county. I particularly tried to get him to commit to a specific number of African Americans by December of 2008. Though he did not, he did express that he would be disappointed if the number was not increased.

Other areas we discussed, the lack of adequately paying jobs for African Americans, housing, education and data gathering, or a lack thereof. The Called to Action, offered by Rick, be actively involved in your government. Rick shared his email address and encouraged persons to write him --- he responses to all. His email: www.rickpollitt@wicomicocounty.org. Thanks Rick.

A Town Meeting with Ricky Pollitt - Wicomico County's First County Executive

Wicomico County's First County Executive, Rick Pollitt, joins me on Sunday 11/18/2007. It's been a year since Mr. Pollitt assumed office. We'll be discussing the African American community's many challenges in rural and conservative Wicomico County Maryland. This is scheduled to be a Town meeting.

A Salute to our Buffalo Soldiers and Others on Veteran's Day

Tom Kimball, former Maryland State Commander of the Veteran's of Foreign War was my guest this weekend. We talked about Tom's role as the State Commander, his high level of patriotism. I also talked with him about the apparent paradox of Af-Am fighting the wars with our White Brothers and when they returned home Af-Am establish their own black VFW's and American Legions and White's establish their own.

Tom's comment to address this matter was that the organizations were one, though their physical locations are different. The local Black VFW's have helped to establish White VFW's, and vise versa. My "take" on Commander Kimball's response was these organizations are as separate as the Black and White Churches; but who am I to formulate that "take". I've not served in the military, only the Boy Scouts. Nevertheless, the Call2Action, thank a soldier on this their day Veteran's Day 2007.

Called2Action Goes Oversees This Weekend

Internationally renowed personality Drew Brown joins me this weekend to address an array of topics -- from Bill Cosby and Alvin Toussaint's continuing comments on Black America, to the Jena 6 --- in my view nonsense --- to, the recent November 2, Black economic boycott and ------- well just tune in on Sunday November 4, 2007 for the rest of the "stuff".