On Tue, 18 Jul 2000 15:22:47 EDT Hamjatta Kanteh
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Dr Ceesay,
>     I agree with your prognosis of the AIDS epidemic and the solutions you
> have offered in helping reducing it's menace especially on the African
> continent. The only bit I beg to differ with was your subtle swipe at what
> you labelled as "liberal culture" which you seem to insinuate as the purveyor
> of sexual permissiveness and relativism which many Islamists and moralists
> say is responsible for AIDS and its continuing spread. Far from it, the
> spread of AIDS has as much to do with "liberal culture" as Nazism has
> anything to do with tolerance for racial differences. Perhaps you will be
> kind in enlightening us as to why the ascendancy of "liberal culture" has so
> much to be responsible for the spreading of AIDS. This is one of the
> convenient excuses of moralists and conservatives for social decadence
> attributed to mishandling of modernity especially in Africa.

Thanks Hamjatta.  I must say I always enjoy your writings.
Nazism was the epitome of racial intolerance.  The
ascension of the liberal culture came with open
homosexuality, glamourising sex in the most explicit way in
both print in electronic media, and rampant use of drugs
(main lining).  Undoubtedly these are the main ingredients
for the spread of AIDS.  Whether these are side effects of
the liberal culture or its main thrust is hardly relevant.


     Of course, this epidemic because of it's nature and attributes, has moral
> ramifications that cannot be dumbed down on the specious arguments that
> mainstream scientists like to point out; that moral equations will hardly
> enlighten us about AIDS because moralising has metaphysical footnotes which
> really has potentials for obscuring and paralysing scientific enlightenment.
> It is interesting you brought to the fore the analogy of Lot which is some of
> the things scientists are objecting to.

Why?

 I have no quarrel with the moral
> equation so long as it broadens the scope of penetration in the mindset of
> society that something dangerous is lurking in the corridors of society and
> can claim anyone as a victim. Only prevention is capable of saving us and by
> prevention, it is only natural we moralise it. Anything that evaluates and
> appreciates our survival as a people, has moral equations that can hardly be
> described as not indispensable.
>     My beef with the African side of the AIDS epidemic, is more political and
> social. I have asked myself for the umpteenth time why enough resources have
> not been allocated to the campaign sensitizing people on this deadly disease?
> Why are there not enough docu-dramas/soaps on national TVs, radio and print
> media that speak our local languages and in manners befitting our cultures on
> the AIDS epidemic? Why is outfits like GRTS so obsessed with showing
> infantile footages of Burr-Ba Kaninlai raving and ranting incessantly and not
> showing/entertaining the country folks on themes of safe sex and the
> consequences of sexual permissiveness especially in the age of AIDS? Why is
> Africa the only continent to entertain in a grand manner eccentric
> pseudo-scientists on whether there is a thing like AIDS or not? These
> unnecessary quarrels about the existence and origins of AIDS have invariably
> led to the tragic spread of the disease amongst the ignorant and obstinate.

I cannot aggre more.  In the Gambia we are still at the
denial stage.  AIDS cannot touch us syndrome.  From what I
have seen in my little practice nothing could be further
from the truth.  Our difference with Senegal is that they
have a huge political commitment at the highest level and
have moved forward.  We need to break the silence.  May be
Tombong can help here.


> Why is a very capable and intelligent man like Mbeki entertaining doubts
> about the AIDS virus when he is seeing before his own eyes his nation
> crippling from the pernicious effects of this epidemic? I could go on and
> on.......... the complaints are endless.

Well President Mbeki is an intelligent and capable man but
he is a non-scientist.  One of the proponents of the 'no
HIV as a cause of AIDS' is Professor Duisburg.  He knows
more about HIV/AIDS than me and you.  He has seen all the
evidence but still lacks the conviction.  As I said before
I dont belong to this school of thought but I do follow
their aguements.  Thats hadly helpfull for this dealy
panbdemic.  What President Mbeki and indeed all African
leaders should do is to follow the mainstream scientific
thinking and plan relevant preventive measures.

Have a pleasant day.
Asalamu Alaikum

MMC


----------------------
Dr M Mansour Ceesay
[log in to unmask]

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