Good News, But Still a Bad Reality

Today, The Associated Press at CNN.com reports " The rate of newly reported HIV cases among blacks has been dropping by about 5 percent a year since 2001, the government said Thursday. But blacks are still eight times more likely than whites to be diagnosed with the AIDS virus."

First, we should stop and be thankful for this reality. Yes, the racial disparity is still prevalent, but a consistent drop since 2001 is good news for a marginalized group who has enough stigma to face on a daily basis.

Second, we should take action, ask questions, join a campaign, press the issue for universal health insurance for American citizens. These steps will increase this good news ten-fold.

I hope news like this converts into action for readers

A Statistical Impossibility

Our President, George W. Bush has the lowest approval rating in American history, currently at 35% according to a new CBS News Poll. But even more embarrassing is that Bush has the lowest approval rating in history for an American President by Latin America Elites, according to the US Embassy in Chile:

"Bush continued to be unpopular, with only 25 percent among the elites saying they had a very favorable or somewhat favorable view of him. Still, that represented an improvement. In 2003, Bush's positive rating was 12 percent."

Still, it gets worse. Bush has an approval rating among Blacks in America at 2% according to an NBC/Wall Street Journal Poll from mid-October. With a 3% margin of error, that is a statistical impossibility. It is possible that Bush has -1% approval among African Americans, arguably the country's most mobilizing minority force.

America needs to understand, this is not just an all-time low from him, it's an all-time low ever!
This demonstrates that his policies are not globally liked, or minority liked. Oh and by the way, that's most of the world. People of color make up a majority of the world's population.

I leave it up to you to decide what this means.

Same Game

Does anyone remember when Bush ran on a unifying, moderate Republican platform? Well, I do. I remember such members of his cabinent like Powell and Whitman, that were clearly representative of most Americans in their decisions, yet Bush undermined them for political clout.

Now, we have that same game being played. His new nominee to the Supreme Court simply laughs at any attempt to diversiy the bench that determines the laws that one of the most diverse countries in the world must live by. If confirmed, Alito, will be white man number 7 on the Court of 9 people. Liberal Ginsberg will be the only woman, and Conservative Thomas will be the only minority.

No matter one's qualifications, diversity should be of interest. This is no longer a nation of white men. Some scholars indicate in 2050, persons of Spanish descent (Latinos/Hispanics) will be the majority. Yet, we still have 70% of this critical body representing the good ole' boys network.

We need to wake up. Yes, America is great in many respects, but this lingering fact puts a cloud on the notion of objectivity for our judicial advocates.