Declaring An HIV/AIDS State of Emergency In The African American Community In Georgia

The 2000 Census states that African Americans make up 29% of Georgia’s population. According to the 2004 AIDS Incidence Report for Georgia, a staggering 76% of all reported AIDS cases are in the African American community. Not only is that a disproportionate ratio, as the experts always say, but also it is grounds for a State of Emergency.

As we look at these numbers, we must realize that we have lost the luxury of time. Twenty-five years have come and gone, and HIV is as infectious as ever. We have let our community and our nation down by falling into a state of apathy. After 25 years, it is finally time to become inspired to act.

We can no longer look at AIDS as a silent disease. It is no longer affecting separate, unequal or unrelated parts of society. It is not the gay men, the hemophiliacs, the sex workers, the drug users or those who didn’t know any better. It is no longer about “someone else.” It is your neighbor, your clergymen, your teacher, the bus driver and your brothers and sisters. It is not about the individual, but about the greater community. More specifically, we are failing the Black community.

The Research has suggested how we can be effective in combating the further spread of HIV. The Research has shown how HIV/AIDS is devastating the African American community. The Research has indicated that HIV is spreading through our youth at alarming rates. Now we need action!

We come to you with a choice. From our standpoint, it is not a difficult choice to make. You have the reality in the form of numbers at your fingertips. You are being asked to make the choice to stand up and fight for Georgia’s citizens, for Georgia’s communities, and for the African American people. You have a choice to save lives or continue to ignore this epidemic. It is not a moral choice. It is a question of healthcare. It is a question of justice.