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.
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. 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 sensitising 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.
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.
At this stage, one thing is crucial in saving Africa from being reduced
to a continent of senior citizens in ten or twenty years time. That is
massive public enlightenment that is not crippled by eccentric
pseudo-scientist doubters or lack of funds to aggressively sensitise the
whole populace. In this, there must room for all with any social, political
and social stripes; from religious leaders to political leaders, from
empowered women groups to disability groups. The silence and incoherent
approaches needs to be broken at once. Gov't leaders, community leaders, and
whoever matters in our society, must invoke Buckley's "utilitarian
imperative" and make AIDS awareness campaigns a daily activity in every nook
and crevice of society. Only this can save those who are yet to be carriers
of the epidemic.
Also you noted that some of our traditions are not helping our case. You
were also spot on when you advised that there should be a sensitive and
sensible questioning of some our harmful traditions which invariably make
victims of us. This patronising racist myth about the African being some
sexual stallion and some ignorant Africans falling for the claptrap, is not
helpful. Look at rape in South Africa. This infantile and prehistoric
attitude of some African males is invariably responsible for some tragic
deaths from the epidemic. Your bit on the that Jola tradition of sharing
wives especially during circumcision festivals; communal sex and all that [if
it exists as I am not sure. But definitely heard of it], needs to be frowned
upon on with the possible intervention of the State if it comes to that. Like
you I stand corrected. Hope someone enlighten us on that issue.
Many thanks for sharing.
Hamjatta Kanteh
We should therefore claim, in the name of tolerance, the right not to
tolerate the intolerant.
Karl Popper 1902-1994
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