A Taste of Georgetown/SA's AIDS Issue

On Saturday, I went to Wisconsin Ave to witness the fifteenth annual Taste of Georgetown. It was a one day event showcasing the thirty best and most luxurious restaurants of the D.C. Metropolitan area. There were hamburger joints, cupcake shoppes, a wine pavilion, and other various types of foods of other cultures. The demographic of individuals was made up of mostly younger white people, complemented with tourists and sprinkled with darker folk here and there.

There was a live jazz band as well as free Pepsi for everyone.

Overall, the event was a success. There were a lot of people circulating for the few hours that I was there. This leads me to believe that the homeless people the proceeds go to will be very enthused.

Yes, the proceeds will go towards homeless people. That's what the site says, at the least. And so, I wonder, why is it that these homeless people were incognito? Where are all of the representatives for this endeavor that they are taking on? And furthermore, why is it that there are no events like this in the Black community.

Of course, we have our festival days, we have our weekend markets, but an event displaying the culinary talents of our community's best (and actually benefiting the community as well)? I would imagine a greater attendance, a greater selection, and better quaility.

The Black community has strengthened the food market for centuries upon centuries. It has introduced staples that are forsaken necessities at the present. The world's first drug, sugar, was introduced on account of the interaction with those of African descent. It was then manufactured, marketed, and capitalized upon by Europeans, pragmatically, of course.

While this issue is relatively unimportant on many levels, the umbrella issue of the capitalization of things and practices that were originally African or were developed by Africans by Europeans is an argument to behold.

BBCNEWS reports that in South Africa, the new Health Minister, a European-descended woman named Barbara Hogan, called for a renewed global effort against HIV/AIDS. Not only did she refute former Ssouth African President Thabo Mbeki's claim that AIDS was not a result of HIV, but she also refuted her predecessor, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who felt that the introduction of common drug cocktails was not beneficial to the eradication or maintenance of the sickness.

Dr Tshabalala-Msimang earned the nickname "Dr Beetroot" for advocating healthy eating, as an alternative to ARV drugs.

So, apparently, her predecessor is relatively connected to traditional African remedies, and possibly a rejector of Western innovation - nothing to be ashamed of.

However, I do find it quite shameful that, despite the fact that there has been a treatment developed by doctors (who were affiliated with the Nation of Islam) that causes the AIDS condition to regress to a simple HIV status, there has been no effort to incorporate these tactics into the areas who are more than willing to undergo even human testing (since it is already done with or without their knowledge).

I find it amazing that of the myriad of things that Europeans could take and capitalize on to the fullest extent (personally, if I was the ruler of an African country, and America gave me the means to decrease death in my region, I would be indebted to them forever), they choose not to expound upon life. This, however, is also a testament to their need for control - if the solution did not come from that which it is necessary to help, then what is the use for a scientific revolution to begin?

The Nicheren Diashonin teaches that individuals must respect everyone's humanity equally. We must be aware of one another's needs and be prepared to fulfill them. We must treat another not as our child, our mother, or our lovers, but as we treat ourselves. This level of karmic understanding is fundamental to the progression of people and is crucial as the years push on. Things are not going to get better, they are going to either worse or maintain themselves.
If anything, it is time that we begin to focus on the future of those that we love - selfless loves and respect is key to harmony and balanced cohabitation. Simplicity through human emotion, for lack of a better word.