Sorry, I'll Never Do It Again

Peter Buxtun (The man who brought this to the public eye)


In this case the most important elements are the damage done to the victims with the syphilis but more importantly to the good will that a government has between with it's people. In this case the syphilis victims very were for the most part damaged beyond repair, and most had already died. The greater reparation in this case would have to come in the form of reforms in the governments handling of future medical studies to make sure that this type of breech never happens again.

399 Poor Black Men

Effects of syphilis:

It is a painful infection, in which progressively deeper layers of tissue are infected and eventually destroyed. This necrotic state can effect tissues such as the skin, eyes, heart, brain, and bones.

The Tuskegee syphilis experiment was conducted between 1932 and 1972. 399 poor African-American sharecroppers where found who had contracted syphilis. A medical board reviewed and fallowed them throughout their agonizing lives. Even after 1947 when penicillin was found to cure syphilis, the participants of the study where keep in the dark about the fact. They were just allowed to languish in the savage destruction of their bodies and lives. Wives were infected and children where born with congenital syphilis, causing disturbing birth defects.

Who was behind this devilish experiment?

Well it was your very own Uncle Sam. Working through the U.S. Public Health Service.

This was a joint effort with the Arkansas regional PHS (Public Health Service) office and the John Andrew Hospital at the Tuskegee Institute (Dr. Eugene Dibble, an African American doctor, was the head physician at the hospital).

In 1966 Peter Buxtun, a PHS venereal-disease investigator in San Francisco, after failed attempts to bring about a resolution to this fiendish experiment, finally went to the press in the early 1970s. It became front-page news in the New York Times the following day. Senator Edward Kennedy called Congressional hearings to investigate. As part of a settlement of a class action lawsuit subsequently filed by the NAACP, the U.S. government paid nine million and agreed to provide free medical treatment to surviving participants, as well as to surviving family members infected as a consequence of the study. Public health laws where passed to help prevent such horrors from happening again.

The Tuskegee Syphilis Study significantly damaged the trust of the black community toward public health efforts in the United States. Which I believe will take a long full hearty effort on the part of government to undo.

Slave-Mart Always Hiring

I found the article very useful in understanding the complete scope of what we are dealing with when we talk about “Big Box Stores.” The article gives an even handed account of both the positives and the negatives of how these types of stores effect us and our communities. There are many bits of information I will use as support for my view in this paper. Rep. George Miller revealed in a 2004 government report, “Wal-Mart imposes a huge, often hidden cost on it’s workers, our communities, and U.S. taxpayers. And Wal-Mart is in the driver’s seat in the global race to the bottom, suppressing wage levels, workplace protections and labor laws.”

Wal-Mart Parking Lots, the Dealiest Places on Earth

The title for this film, “The High Cost of Low Prices” is just perfect, Illustrating the whole message of this documentary in just a few words. Through this film we are presented with episode after episode of why Wal-Mart is so evil. I personally detest corporations like this one and like to see them not only close their there doors but I would like to see criminal charges brought against them. That said, I don’t think they are the real problem. It is the government, both local and federal who is charged with the responsibilities to protecting the communities from these “free market“economic practices. About a hundred years ago the British were destroying China through the sale of Opium there ruling class, this was fine because the again the “free market“philosophy was being followed. I believe that the backdrop to this movie something even more sinister. I believe that the U.S. can not be attacked efficiently with a traditional military, because let’s face we are the biggest in the world capable of doing a lot of damage to an enemy, so a Trojan horse is needed. Enter corporations like Wal-Mart.

The film itself is well made, especially the use of former Wal-Mart upper level employees to expose the true nature this monster. It is definitely one sided, which I have no problem with. Just pay attention to the sinister music used on the scenes exposing Wal-Mart and the nostalgic music use for the communities and families. I don't believe it should be the duty of any corporation to provide health care, if they want to provide that service, look for work elsewhere. I thought the bunker built be the Walton family was cool, I want one.
The segment exposing the crimes at the Wal-Mart parking lot was lame. This is why we have Sheriff’s departments, if crime is so bad at these parking lots then the city and Sheriff’s department should get involved, providing services and education to the taxpayers. Crimes happen all over the place, if you stop them at Wal-Mart criminals can easily move their operations to another venue. I still hate Wal-Mart. It is the responsibility of the consumer to shop at environments that meet their security needs.

I like the judges being quoted, but they only had three. Not enough.

In the end of the film with a backdrop of new age music we find out that a community can fight back and win against the Evil Giant. The community has the power, if only we can take the duty on. The exception with Inglewood was the progressive congresswomen Maxine Waters who has guts and political influence.

A Lot of Uncritical Thinking

It always intrigues me when an idea I've been holding on to gets broken down.
Looking back on my schooling I find that much of the learning both in high school and college have had weak hints of critical thinking. For example it's only been in the last year that I've been exposed to logical fallacies. I would think that this would be an important element of thought itself, like knowing that two plus two does not equal five or whatever else out there. It equals four, we can be clear about that. I think that critical thinking should not only be taught once but it should be taught through repetition. Physical exercise is not done once, teeth are not brushed only once (in most cases). Intuitive and emotional awareness is also absent in almost all curriculums that I've been exposed to in all the state sponsored institutions of higher learning.

What is Critical Thinking?

I believe that in order to understand a situation, the observer must have an idea of who they are within the context of what is being examined. We all bring our own biases and frames into all situations.
I think that this is an imperfect process where the process itself is a powerful teacher both humbling us while illuminating us.
Now to get our hands dirty. The first step must be to gather as much information and evidence as possible within the limitations set forth. Next decisions have to made as to what information will be beneficial (this is where biases and intuition meld together, maybe helping us of maybe not) in understanding the issue more deeply and poignantly. This is an interesting part of the process as I believe not everyone is a great critical thinker, like any talent or skill some people are more talented then others. I also think that no matter what level anybody is at, they can always increase their skill levels in the different aspects of critical thinking. Finally the conclusions discovered and/or synthesized must be shared with peers, so the idea can be tested in the field of other minds.

So What Makes a Great Public Space

Like most other human endeavors, the design of public spaces have polarities. Elements of public vs. private, security vs. openness, aesthetics vs. functionality, just to name the main issues. The designers of public spaces must have a clear vision of what purpose their space will serve. Will it be a family space, a space for sports, for consumers, for wealthy people, for lovers, etc. This will create a better experience for the users of that space. In regards to security, for example the space I am writing my essay on has a police station vary close by, which compels local police to come and hang out, giving a sense of security just by the cops being there. This is not the case with most spaces. It seems that spaces that are private property, with an openness that allows the public to hang out are the environments that I enjoy the most, because I feel relaxed and a clear about with I can and can't do.