Blacksmythe

I just received an email yesterday about Randy Parker, who committed suicide at the age of 23. Condolences go out to his mother, father, and extended family. While I maintain that we are and have been a resilient people, able to deal with a lot more (because we’ve had to) than many other populations, African Americans are much more likely to experience some forms of mental illness than their white counterparts, and less likely to get treatment. Probably less likely to get effective treatment on top of that. Of course we know the reasons why–systemic racism increases stress, which in turn increases both the likelihood of suffering from mental illness and the severity of that illness. But knowing is only half the battle. We all know someone who needs help…in many cases that person can be found by looking in the mirror.The Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health and African Americans.

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Just picked up this story about a minute ago. The “broken windows” strategy that Giuliani used in New York City to successfully harass and intimidate (largely black and Latino) working class New Yorkers had already been persuasively debunked. Even James Q. Wilson, chief proponent of the theory noted that it was only speculation, not backed up by data.What is impressive about the lead-based argument is that to make the claim the researcher tested the relationship in nine different countries over time and found the relationship in every single case he studied. To my mind this is a powerful example of social science that both moves the scholarship forward and lends itself to sound practical application. It also further undermines Giuliani’s case as “America’s mayor”, which I always felt was weak even discounting his habit of alternately ignoring and demonizing non-white New Yorkers.This last bit gets to the crux of the matter:

Nevin’s finding implies a double tragedy for America’s inner cities: Thousands of children in these neighborhoods were poisoned by lead in the first three quarters of the last century. Large numbers of them then became the targets, in the last quarter, of Giuliani-style law enforcement policies.

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We all know that black people die sooner, are more likely to be afflicted with a range of ills, and less likely to get care. Some of this is pure economics. But this dynamic goes up the socio-economic scale, indicating that this is not just “class” by another name.My own research looks at the degree to which media narratives about black people make them less likely to mobilize to combat some of these disparities–HIV/AIDS for example.Today I go to Houston to present my research at the MD Anderson Center for Research in Minority Health. I conducted an experiment manipulating stories about male HIV/AIDS to see what type of effect “down-low narratives” had on people exposed to them.The results?The stories generated significant antagonism towards black men, and in some cases made people less likely to want to mobilize politically to deal with the disease.It should be available on video later, and I’ll send a link to it. If you by chance are in the Houston area and want to holler please feel free to do so as I’m available through email.If not? Look out for Prometheus6 and others at tomorrow evening’s Democratic debates.

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A growing group of scholars have been studying the health disparities between African Americans and their European American counterparts on the one hand, on the disparities between African Americans and their Caribbean and Continental American counterparts on the other. But understudied and under discussed are the various ills that Asian Americans have to deal with because of racism. Gilbert Gee, an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan has just begun to report on a groundbreaking survey analyzing Asian American health outcomes. The results shouldn’t be surprising and should help to put to rest the idea of Asian Americans being “model minorities.”

Gee and his team found that Filipinos reported the highest level of discrimination, followed by Chinese-Americans and those of Vietnamese descent. And everyday discrimination was found to be associated with a variety of health problems, including chronic cardiovascular, respiratory, and pain-related health trouble.

Discrimination against those of Chinese descent was not linked to either pain or respiratory problems, but was associated with heart disease. In contrast, discrimination against those of Vietnamese descent was linked to cardiovascular illness, respiratory disease, and pain issues. Filipinos appeared subject to respiratory and pain difficulties, the study said.

The study authors theorized that the differences among the three Asian groups might be explained, in part, by their differing historical and cultural backgrounds.

But in all cases, the association between discrimination and health did not seem to be influenced by age, education level, income level, job status, language ability, or a desire to view one’s life in a positive light, the researchers said.

In view of the findings, the study authors suggested that efforts to bolster civil rights in the United States might not only strengthen the nation’s democracy but also improve its health.

More here.

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While waiting two hours in a Lake County Ill hospital complaining of severe pain, Beatrice (ed.–previously i wrote “beverly”) Vance died of a heart attack. This after she clearly reported symptoms that indicated that a heart attack was imminent (ed. — previously “eminent” doh!). Officials charged the hospital staff with murder, and in an interview with NPR’s Farai Chideya one of them noted that Vance’s race likely played a role. Farai talked to me about it afterwards. One of the things I’ve been reiterating to my black politics class is that care is a political resource. As it is finite, people make decisions–who gets it? who doesn’t? When we’re talking about something like a hospital, the allocation of care becomes political, racial, and in this case, deadly.

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