HIV/AIDS: A death wish for Blacks

HIV infection is on the rise at an alarming rate, and it's primary victims are Black women making it death wish for us all.  To understand this epidemic is to question, why Black women?  We can no longer live in reckless fear, this was formely known as a white gay man's disease now it's changed color AND gender. Researchers cannot explain why so may black women are not only the highest population for HIV infection but also the  highest number of AIDS deaths.  We do know that high risk behaviors increase the rate of infection such as sharing needles during drug use, unprotcted sex and multiple sex partners.  So are we saying Black women are having unprotected sex with multiple partner while sharing needles during drug use??   Maybe.  But I think the problem is with what we love the most, Black men .  The term Down Low refers to Black men who are bi-sexual, they have sex with men and women but often don't let the female partner know their sexual preferences.   Black men tend to be incarcerated at a higher rate than other men, and studies show HIV infection rises in inmate population due to rapes and/or consenual sex.  The disease progresses faster in women because we are more suscptible due to tiny tears that can occur during sex, and ejaculation can rest inside the vagina providing a direct entrance for the virus.
 HIV/AIDS education can drastically reduce this epidemic but practicing safe sex and no drug use can help us beat our enemy.  Knowledge is power, start evaluating your risk factors and deveolpe a plan to be safer, AIDs fighting drugs can prolong life, but healthy habits can stop the disease in it's tracks.  The Holy Bilble gives us relevant scripture " Where theer is no vision, the people perish" Proverbs 29:18 and 1:7 " fools despise wisdom and instruction"
Don't be no fool, get tested and change ya ways. 
I will share a personal story, I had my annual physical visit and of course I got tested, the nurse said "well it's a ten (10) minute test, I'll stick you and drop the blood on the strip, one line not positve and two lines not good". Seriously?!!!!!    Needless to say it was the longest ten(10) minutes of my life, it is stressful, but knowing and protecting yourself and others is more important. 
Don't play with your life.
Peace, Love and Strength
T.  Davis

Bob Marley ONE LOVE TO ALL

Dedicated to Bob Marley and all political activist artists.

http://alt.bobmarley.com/

Buffalo soldier, dreadlock Rasta
There was a buffalo soldier in the heart of America
Stolen from Africa, brought to America
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival

I mean it when I analyze the stench
To me it makes a lot of sense
How the dreadlock Rasta was the buffalo soldier
And he was taken from Africa, brought to America
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Said he was a buffalo soldier, dreadlock Rasta
Buffalo soldier in the heart of America

If you know your history
Then you would know where you're coming from
Then you wouldn't have to ask me
Who the 'eck do I think I am
I'm just a buffalo soldier in the heart of America
Stolen from Africa, brought to America
Said he was fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Said he was a buffalo soldier, win the war for America

chorus

Buffalo soldier troddin' through the land, wo-ho-ooh
Said he wanna ran and then you wanna hand
Troddin' through the land, yea-hea, yea-ea
Said he was a buffalo soldier, win the war for America
Buffalo soldier, dreadlock Rasta
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Driven from the mainland to the heart of the Caribbean

chorus

Troddin' through San Juan in the arms of America
Troddin' through Jamaica, a buffalo soldier
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Buffalo soldier, dreadlock Rasta

This is one of my favorite reggae songs by favorite reggae artist Bob Marley.  I also loved “One Love” and “No woman No cry”..… I so love political artists of all kinds, I think we have lost so many talented voices, not just Tupac!!!  When jamming to his songs, please pay attention to the lyrics Bob is best known for his introduction of reggae and the Rastafari culture worldwide. 

He was born in Jamaica to mixed race parents; his father was white from England and his mother Jamaican.   His struggle for identity, like my own, led to a clear, self-understanding of his roots and launched him into political, social and cultural awareness.  He sung about oppression and the West (Babylon) corruption and genocide to people of color.

Unfortunately he died from untreated cancer that spread through his body May 11, 1981 in Miami, Florida.  Please take a moment of silence and reflection of this wonderful political influential voice, and if you aren’t familiar with him or his music please check out his official web site listed above.

Peace, Love and Strength

T. Davis

Dedication to the memory of Maxine Jenkins Thomas and Evelyn Mae White

It’s that time of year again ladies, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month but actually women should be doing breast exams monthly.  Having lost family to breast cancer I strongly support the awareness of this killer.  One in Eight get breast cancer, there has been a decrease in deaths since 1990 because of early detection, treatment, and healthier lifestyles.  In America, breast cancer deaths are higher than all other cancers except lung. 

The good news is women are living longer with the disease; there are some precautions to reduce risks. Breast exams, limited drinking of alcohol, exercise daily (at least weekly), reduce caffeine, sugar, processed food (creates toxins in the body), and of course NOT SMOKE.

White women are more likely to develop breast cancer than Black, Hispanic, and Asian women. But Black women are more likely to develop more aggressive, advanced-stage breast and have a higher death rate. The poor often receive substandard health care, or lack knowledge of symptoms and prevention.  We also have higher health risks with other diseases such as heart disease, hypertension/high blood pressure due to many factors.  I believe our lifestyle habits are not as healthy as our ancestors; social issues like racism with sexism causes higher stress levels; we consume a lot of processed foods, fast food, and pork.  Other risk factors are genetics/heredity, being overweight, age, smoking, exposure to environmental toxins (like plastics, cosmetics).

We can’t live our life in a plastic sterile bubble, nor avoid some type of processed food, unless we are eating out our own gardens. However as with most diseases there are positive steps we can take to ensure a healthier life.  Minister Elijah Muhammad published “How to eat to live” I suggest reading and researching healthy changes, pay attention to what you eat, and evaluate your own lifestyle.  Ask yourself am I exercising enough? Eating a lot of junk food?  Cooking proper meals and drinking a lot of water instead of soda, and alcohol?

When we take care of our mind and body we feed our soul.  Hope this was helpful and thought provoking while being an enjoyable read!

Peace, Love and Strength.

Take care

T. Davis

Only God can judge us

Discussion for those looking for the truth and those studying religion

“Those who believe (in the Qu’ran) and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians, and any who believe in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness shall have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve”  Surah 2:62 from the Qu’ran

I love this scripture, notice it is inclusive of ALL believers regardless of their religious denominations, if you believe in a higher power, judgment day and work righteously each shall have their reward with who they serve and believe in.  This is similar to the biblical scripture in Revelations 21:4.

All religion it is man-made, God speaks to our spirit and we need to develop an individual relationship with HIM.  Religion and Holy books are a mere guide, we must be careful not to take what is written literally, the Bible for example has been changed many times over the course of history.  The Revised Standard Version (1952 and 1971), the new American standard bible, and the new world translation have expunged certain verses that are found in the King James Version.  The Reader’s Digest has reduced the Old Testament by 50% and the New Testament by about 25%. 

If there are conflicting verses then only one can be truth or both are wrong, because both can’t be correct.  We will discuss conflicting verses and stress that Jesus predicted false prophets and people getting caught up in Religion and not his word. “But in vain they do worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” Matthew 15:9  He also stated religion is death and spirituality is life in        II Corinthians 3:6.

Christmas for example was never discussed in the Bible, nor was the date of Jesus’s birth.   Research the Council of Nicaea 325 A.D., the Sabbath was changed from Saturday to Sunday to accommodate the pagan’s worship of the Sun and December 25^th is the birthday of the Sun God Mithra.  The bible clearly predicted and forbade the decoration of Christmas trees in Jeremiah 10:2-4 “Thus said the Lord ‘learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heather are dismayed at them.  For the customs of the people are in vain, for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold, they fasten it with nails and hammers, that it move not”.

Now let’s review some scriptures for accuracy:

II Samuel 8:4 “and David took from him a thousand chariots and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen”

but in  I Chronicles 18:4 “ and David took from him a thousand chariots and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen”  was is 700 or 7,000 horsemen?

II Kings 8:26 “Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign” but in II Chronicles 22:2 “Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign”.  Was he 22 or 42 years old?

Here are some more verses to research on your own, there are many more so I encourage you to read the Bible for yourself.

II Samuel 8:9-10 vs. I Chronicles 18:9-10

I Samuel 10:18 vs. I Chronicles 19:18

II Kings 24:8 vs. II Chronicles 36:9

II Samuel 23:8 vs. I Chronicles 11:11

II Samuel 24:1 vs. I Chronicles 21:1

II Samuel 6:23 vs. II Samuel 21:8  **note Michal was changed to Merab in the New American Standard Bible (1973).

How old was Noah when he died?  Conflicting verses on his death are Genesis 6:3 and Genesis 9:29, Genesis 5:32 and Genesis 7:6 all state his age around “the time of the flood waters was upon the earth”, but different ages.

Many will say conflicting verses aren’t a big deal, but when so many Christians take the Bible literally word for word, yet don’t recognize the flaws.  If Jesus predicted false prophecies and false prophets of men then why aren’t we more cautious of pastors and ministers teachings?  I believe all religion leads to God, we need to stop bashing other religions and religious beliefs;  isn’t it possible that God sent different messagers (Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha etc.) at different times to different cultures to encourage a relationship with HIM?  Why do we as people limit God’s abilities and feel the right to claim Him as our own, do you think that is truly what God intended? 

Forget who the messengers are, just get the message!!

My intention is not to bash Christians or the Holy Bible,  but to encourage you to develop a personal relationship with Him, don’t get caught up in the holier than thou; who will judge you and tell you are not worthy of God’s love.  More religious folk turn people away from God than the heathen (sinners); embrace Him and read holy books as a guide, yet pray for discernment of your reading.  Ask questions from church goers, join Bible study groups but always research and interpret what you’ve read for your own benefit.  Free your mind and spirit.

Peace, Love and Strength.

T. Davis