In Nebraska, there is a community searching for answers. They are looking for a cemetery on the grounds of a US Indian Genoa Industrial school. This school was one of many in a network of church-run schools in the US run under the guise of education. These schools were created in the 19th and 20th century to assimilate indigenous children into the white man's world. by 1926, as many as 83% of the Native America population's children were enrolled in these residential schools. Children were taken forcibly from their parents with prison time threatened if they did not comply. The Native American population experienced another genocidal era in their peoples' history during the time of operation of these state-sanctioned religious schools. It is estimated that tens of thousands of children died at these institutions in the United States and Canada. The survivors of these schools remember the physical abuse. They were not happy school atmospheres. These institutions operated like prison encampments. They remember being punished for speaking their language. The motto of these institutions was, "kill the indian, save the man." It is evident that no good could come of these state-sanctioned religious institutions. Another way in which the Christian religion would oppress another people that they deemed "inferior" because they did not look like them, talk like them, act like them, or believe in their God. Forcible indoctrination was the method by which they took the Native American culture from an already violent and genocidal history, to another attempt at wiping them out completely. This is an important part of American history. This is an untold story that I did not learn about in my AP U.S. History class in the 90s. We learned that when Europeans came to the Americas, they unintentionally wiped out large percentages of the Native American populations by bringing over small pox. We did not learn at that time that it was also intentionally given to Native American villages through infected blankets given as gifts as a type of biological warfare. We learned a little about the the Trail of Tears and that they were moved and moved and pushed into smaller sections of land as settlers came in and claimed land that wasn't theirs because Native Americans had no concept of land ownership in their culture. We did not learn of the waves of succeeding attempts at wiping out the Native Americans in various ways. It's no wonder that the indigenous tribes of this country have so little trust for the ones who took their land from them. The history of the residential schools is just another facet to their story. This is another part of the making of this country that must make its way into our educational system. This is a part of our history. We can't just teach the times when we were good and did the right thing. We have to show all sides of the story. Hiding these stories breeds distrust in our society and we need to bring light to a part of our society that has been decimated for hundreds of years unjustifiably. We need to teach that this was wrong. That it's not ok to disrespect the beliefs, culture, and community of others. The history of oppression in the United States is one that patriotic people fear. It means that something that they have been trained to be so proud of, that they are supposed to be one of the good guys in the world. This identity that they hold on to is not only not the full picture, but just not true at all. Like it or not, there has been a lot of oppression in this country to make it what it is today. History is written by the men in power. Rarely is it written from a peoples' perspective with the exception of Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States. The fact is, we are using resources and living on the land that was stolen from indigenous people and the world-class economy of this country was built on the backs of slaves. Why does this truth threaten so many to their core? What is it called when people cannot take in new facts and change their minds about a concept? Cognitive dissonance? Or is it just willful ignorance? I have a whole summer to plan out a film festival for the fall. The last two years have just been far too complicated to put it together in light of the COVID19 pandemic. I would like to wrap my head around what my intentions and purpose is before we begin viewing and choosing films. Intentions
I think that without involving myself in local politics, this is another way that I might be able to have some sort of positive influence over my little mountain community. I would like to see this area stay pristine grow in its environmental stewardship and advocacy. I would like for others to cherish these forests. We are just visitors here on this Earth. It is our responsibility to Mother Earth and future generations to respect this land and leave it better than we found it. 5/25/2022 0 Comments the deadly deceptionSyphilis was a disease that garnered much attention at various points in history, especially in the 1930s and 1940s. The attention faded after penicillin was pushed as a viable treatment for this infectious disease. Syphilis is unfortunately another example of the “panic and neglect” (Chen 2021) cycle that the United States rotates through. Currently, the United States is experiencing another resurgence of syphilis, when formerly, health officials were certain that it could be eradicated. In 2019, 129,813 cases of all stages of syphilis were reported in the United States (CDC). This is a significant jump from previous years and a cause for concern especially in populations that are disproportionately being impacted, such as men compared to women, Hispanics, and Native American communities. Left untreated this spiral-shaped bacteria that is the causative agent of syphilis can live in the body for decades and cause blindness, mental illness, heart issues, and nervous tissue and brain damage. It is largely spread through intimate contact in the first weeks and months of contracting the infection. Early infection symptoms include rashes, headaches, flu-like symptoms, and chancres on genitalia can occur. In light of the current resurgence, it is important to take a look at the spotted history of syphilis in the United States.
In the first few decades of the twentieth century, syphilis was known as “bad blood.” Despite the poor euphemism, public health scientists and medical professionals saw syphilis as something they could potentially have an impact on. There was a clear cause of syphilis and they knew how it could spread, but they wanted to know more especially as it pertained to the disease progression and how it might impact people differently. Some proposed to study whether it was the same disease in Blacks and Whites, based on the assumption that Blacks were more genetically susceptible. It was also assumed not to be deadly for Black people. In Alabama, the Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male began in 1932. Of the 600 black men that were involved in the study, 399 had syphilis. Of significance was the fact that the men involved had no idea that they were a part of a research study. Informed consent was not obtained by public health officials, who lured test subjects with the promise of free treatment by government doctors. Instead of treating the men, government doctors and researchers proceeded to study how syphilis attacks the body by withholding treatment. The inhumane and discriminatory study was conducted in an area of Alabama in which 80% of the population consisted of Black sharecroppers only two generations removed from slavery. The promise of free treatment of this highly stigmatized disease appealed to an impoverished populus with high numbers of infant mortality. Vulnerable populations were not at liberty to question government officials. “Treatment” began with a blood draw to confirm syphilis infection and revealed 30% of black men in the region had contracted the disease. Test subjects were given placebo treatments and even spinal taps under the guise of treatment, when in reality they were being monitored for progression of the disease. A study that was intended to last 6 months lasted for years, retaining subjects with the help of nurse liaison Eunice Rivers. She solicited the test subjects for ‘treatment’ and coordinated further visits. Dozens of men died and were autopsied to determine the extent of the internal pathology of the disease. Test subjects were offered a $50 life insurance policy as an incentive to stay with the “treatment” program. This meant a proper burial for an individual whose family would not likely have the resources to provide. Government employees went to great lengths to prevent the men in the study from getting real treatment. They went as far as appealing to the draft board to exclude their patients from treatment by the military during the war effort. Consequently, the men involved in the study lived with syphilis untreated unknowingly for decades with untold pain and suffering all while penicillin was proven to be a highly effective treatment. Eventually, certain individuals in the medical community spoke out and proposed that the men in the study should be treated and reveal the true nature of the study. This occurred 30 years after the study began. The story broke out in the media and the government launched an investigation. The men discovered their role and lawsuits were filed. Each participant was given a $30k settlement, meager consolation for what they had endured. Despite the the adoption of the Nuremberg code in 1947 and the discovery of the horrendous experimental studies performed on the Jewish community by German Nazis, the Tuskegee scientists, doctors, and government employees did not see their research as unethical. Doctors such as John Cutler would defend their actions claiming a contribution to the greater health of the Black community. John Cutler and others defended their actions even though nothing of scientific value was discovered through the duration of the study. There was also no evidence suggesting that syphilis differs in humans from race to race. Perhaps we have made some progress from the days of the Tuskegee study. The Hippocratic Oath to Do No Harm is brought to the forefront of our minds and extended to maximize good. Since then, more regulations are in place and enforced for the protection of experimental subjects, particularly with regards to informed consent. The Tuskegee study demonstrates the dangers of prejudice, racism, and bias in scientific studies. The distrust that this study fueled for White medical professionals still lives on today in the Black community. The lasting impacts have not yet healed. Perhaps the resurgence presents an opportunity to provide thorough, reliable, health care, especially to vulnerable communities experiencing outbreaks. Building new trust with impoverished communities will require populations to experience positive outcomes in the treatment of their illnesses and good will from their health professionals. The current COVID-19 pandemic may feel somewhat familiar for some Americans. COVID-19 has overwhelmed hospitals, caused school closures and brought uncertainty much like what Americans experienced at the turn of the century with the Polio virus. While Americans may feel that the current pandemic is reminiscent of the Polio pandemic, it was unique in many ways and played a major role in how Americans reacted to COVID-19.
Polio, also coined infantile paralysis, has been around for thousands of years, however this virus really began to provoke widespread fear with epidemic numbers at the turn of the century. In the early 1900s it was noted that “(the number of cases of) diphtheria, typhoid, and tuberculosis were declining” (The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, 2021), most likely due to better sanitation practices. Perhaps young infants were exposed to Polio at a younger age through the water supply and also had the added benefit of maternal antibodies to provide them long lasting immunity. Better sanitation practices potentially meant that people were exposed later on in life to Polio with very little innate or adaptive immunity. The whole country began to live in fear of Polio, especially in the summer which also became known as “Polio-season”. Children would call out to their mothers that they could suddenly not feel their legs. People struck by Polio reported other symptoms such as dizziness, loss of leg function, pain, stiffness, and achiness in the spine. Some reported that every step radiated pain throughout their body. In the summer of 1916 there were many new cases of Polio with mild, cold-like symptoms that later developed into stiff joint pain or total paralysis. People knew very little about the source of the illness, and of viruses in general. Rumors of what might cause Polio evoked dramatic reactions. Thousands of stray cats were killed, New York City was doused in 4 million gallons of water, and greater sanitation efforts were made in a seemingly futile attempt to eliminate this frightening disease. Scientists did not know where it came from or how to prevent it. They believed it entered through the nose and attacked the central nervous system. The disease seemed to target children especially. Hospitals began to fill up with pediatric Polio cases. Winter of 1916 came and the rates of the disease dropped and were lower the following year but not for long. In 1921 Franklin Roosevelt (FDR) was infected with Polio and he became paralyzed and never walked again. Fighting the Polio epidemic required greater publicity and funding for research and development and received this when Franklin D. Roosevelt was paralyzed by Polio. For years, FDR devoted himself to gaining back the use of his legs and spent a majority of his wealth on a thermal spa in Georgia in an effort to provide warm therapeutic water experiences for himself and other Polio patients. FDR gave people a role model to look up to in their fight against Polio. If FDR could go on with his life and even do something as great as running for president, then Polio survivors had hope for their future. When FDR began to think about politics again he turned over his spa to an old law partner, Basil O’Connor. Fundraising for Polio began with greater efforts for the purpose of research and development. Basil O’Connor organized events to raise money, and in 1938 FDR founded the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis and the March of Dimes. Both FDR and Basil O’Connor aimed for growing public support in the fight against Polio, in the midst of their efforts in WWII. Despite more research and funding, by 1931 there was still very little known about the virus and the country was again facing particularly bad outbreaks of Polio across the country. By 1935, John Colmer designed the first Polio vaccine tested on monkeys. The country was so anxious to have a solution to this frightening disease that early attempts to develop vaccines for children and medical professionals ended with horrendous results. A more successful approach to treat Polio came from an Australian nurse, Elizabeth Kenny. Instead of casting and immobilizing Polio patients’ legs, she treated them with compresses and muscle rehabilitation practices that would be the origin of physical therapy. Post-WWII America saw a huge spike in Polio cases. More people were hospitalized, striking children the hardest. In 1950, the number of new cases of Polio reached 33,000. The race to develop a vaccine was growing more urgent. In 1955, Jonas Salk at the University of Pittsburgh began one of the largest human field tests of all time for his vaccine, after publishing his paper in 1953 on Studies in Human Subjects on Active Immunization Against Poliomyelitis. The field study went well. Many people were vaccinated and they reported 80-90% effectiveness of the vaccine. It seemed that Jonas Salk was a modern-day hero until two weeks into a nationwide vaccination program, when children began to come down with Polio. Thousands of children died and some were permanently paralyzed. There were 9 faulty lots of the vaccine that were to blame for this disaster, known as The Cutter Incident. The vaccination program resumed after the incident. Another vaccine was being developed around this time, by Albert Sabin of Cincinnati. Due to a lack of support in the United States, Albert Sabin tested his vaccine in the Soviet Union. In 1959, 77 million Russions took the live virus vaccine which came in the form of drops. The vaccine was wildly successful and was then licensed in the United States in 1960. Sabin and Salk’s vaccines are used today, however the ease of use of the Sabin vaccine made it more widely accepted. Those Americans who lived through Polio and remember this epidemic may draw some conclusions about the similarities and differences to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Both of these viruses have created widespread economic disruption and the need for additional funding from the public and/or the public for research and development of vaccines. They also both created major life altering disruptions in the lives of people across the country. How would these people that were paralyzed by Polio work and support themselves in the future? How would people survive with the loss of a job or a loved one in the COVID-19 pandemic? Both of these viruses ignited major vaccine programs. Perhaps most notably, these viruses made people in our country turn both towards and against each other in times of crisis. While there are notable similarities, these two viruses differ on the historical context, who they infected, and how drastically they impacted the future quality of life for people. Polio hit at a time when we knew very little of viruses or vaccines. Polio had disastrous pathology, especially to children, and this heightened the fear-factor for many parents. While most feared Polio, there are many who feel that COVID-19 is no worse than the flu, despite contrary evidence. People are more likely to know about bad vaccine reactions and are reluctant to vaccinate their children, due to their lower susceptibility to COVID-19 than adults. On the contrary, COVID-19 has targeted the elderly population. A vaccine was welcomed for Polio but is highly controversial for COVID-19, due to many factors, including misinformation. Overall, a perceived lower risk of the COVID-19 vaccine contributed to partial compliance in the national vaccination program. Even though Polio epidemics continue to impact people globally, the last case of Polio in the United States was recorded in 1979 and Polio was declared eradicated in 1980. At the beginning of the 1900s we knew so little of this horrifying virus. Now we know it moves from the intestine to the bloodstream to the nervous system attacking the nerve cells that send messages to muscles leading to paralysis. Scientists know the structure of the virus and some aspects of replication. Most importantly, we have an effective vaccine to help protect people from experiencing what so many once did only one or two generations back. 5/24/2022 0 Comments A short film favoriteWe showed this at our first local environmental film festival that we planned and hosted. I go back and watch it over again every once in a while because I love it so much. 5/17/2022 0 Comments the alpinistmarc andre
1/9/2022 0 Comments on anthony bourdain and life
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