September 30, 2017 - October 6, 2017, The Afro-American
A5
COMMENTARY
Living in the Eye of the Storm In 2005, appalled by the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, I was compelled to publicly criticize the Bush Administration’s delay in providing life-saving assistance to the people of New Orleans. “Mr. President,” I declared at the National Press Club, “We cannot allow history to say that, at the time of the great storm and flood of 2005, the difference between Elijah Cummings those who lived and those who died was their poverty, their age or the color of their skin.” To the Bush Administration’s credit, the pace of federal assistance to the victims of Katrina did improve somewhat after my public challenge. Regrettably, however, history has confirmed that my warning to President Bush was prescient. Although Americans of every background suffered in the wake of Katrina, our countrymen and women who were Black, poor or aged endured the most lasting, and all too often permanent, injuries from that horrifying storm. In the years that followed, instructed by our successes and failures in other superstorms like Hurricane Sandy, it is fair to conclude that we have made some progress in our ability to respond to these disasters. Coastal states like Maryland and Florida have undertaken important first steps toward making our communities more resilient to these onslaughts. As a result, our initial response to the devastating hurricanes this year has been more effective and humane than the ineptitude that followed Hurricane Katrina – and I readily acknowledge that the Trump Administration, building on the work of President Obama, deserves some credit in this regard. Yet, more than a decade later, the harsh forces that conspire to disproportionately threaten the most vulnerable of our society continue to assault our national conscience. A growing body of scientific evidence confirms that humancaused changes in our climate are underway – changes that pose long-term dangers to African American communities. Although some, including President Trump, wish to dismiss this evidence, any prudent policy analysis takes into account both the probability that a risk will be realized and the adverse impact of that risk, should it occur. As to the probability of severe, long-term damage, we now know that the average global temperature has gone up by more than 1.0 degree Fahrenheit since 1900 - and that most of this warming has occurred since the 1970s. In all probability,
we soon will exceed the maximum global temperature experienced by any human civilization in history. Even more alarming, projections by a United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warn that the average surface temperature of our planet may well increase by an additional 2.0 to 11.5 °F during the remainder of the 21st Century. Although there are skeptics, most credible scientists now conclude that the driving forces have been human activities that produce “greenhouse gases,” like carbon dioxide and methane. Even non-scientists can see the consequences of climate change that are staring us in the face. In recent years, we have witnessed drought in Africa, shrinkage of the Arctic and Greenland ice sheets, rising sea levels, shifts in fisheries and more intense hurricanes like Katrina, Sandy, Harvey and Irma. These generally observable changes have led to a growing sense of public urgency about climate change among scientists and policy makers alike. In these policy debates, two chilling projections have been made crystal clear. First, we have no reason to believe that the intensity and destructive power of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma this year were isolated or rare exceptions. It is far more likely that the intensity and pattern of future storms will cause far more serious damage than in the past. This was President Obama’s observation about Hurricane Sandy and future superstorms; and there is compelling evidence that Hurricanes Harvey and Irma fit this emerging pattern. Second, minority communities will continue to endure a disproportionate share of the costs if we fail to do everything within our power to better protect our communities in the immediate future and reduce adverse human impacts on our climate in the longer term. As this year’s hurricanes are demonstrating with compelling clarity, coastal regions – including their large minority, poor and elderly populations – are now at increased risk of devastation.
At the state and local levels, minimizing the damage that we can predict from future hurricanes must be a top priority. Ideology and short-term economic interests must take a back seat to our survival. At the federal level, we must expand our support for these local efforts at “resilience,” compelling them when federal funds are involved. We also must continue to fight against those who deny the human impact on our climate and future survival. For Americans of every background in our coastal states, whether red or blue, we must not hesitate to make our voices heard in the halls of government at every level, including the White House and the Congress. Accurately and effectively addressing the impacts of our changing climate must, once again, become a top priority of our national security policies. We cannot afford to equivocate or delay. We are living in “the eye of the storm.” Congressman Elijah Cummings represents Maryland’s 7th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives.
It’s Time to Help D.C.’s Most Vulnerable Residents Quit Smoking
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the country and is related to at least 5,600 deaths in D.C. alone. D.C. is on the way to becoming smoke free, but there are populations still vulnerable to the influence of the industry. Tobacco use disproportionately impacts many marginalized populations—such as people in low-income communities, racial and ethnic minorities, and members of the LGBTQ communities – that have a long and documented history of being targeted by the tobacco industry. And with the rise of electronic cigarettes, high school students are more vulnerable than ever before to marketing that could lead them down an unhealthy path. These groups need additional support. African Americans suffer the most of any ethnicity from tobacco-related disease and death. Smoking-related illness is the number one cause of preventable death in the African American community, surpassing AIDS, homicide, diabetes and accidents. Residents of Ward 8, the poorest in the city, are the most likely to be current smokers. Compared to the general population’s smoking rate of 16.4 percent, smoking rates are higher among Black adults in D.C., at 20.3 percent. The disparity in tobacco use rates is no accident. Tobacco companies have specifically targeted the African American community for decades. In fact, a 2007 study found there were
Laura Hale
When Will This End?
TriceEdney — My best friend left us and moved to his heavenly home a few weeks ago. For those who knew Dick Gregory, it’s no secret that we were best friends for a very long time. Over a year before he left us, he told me, as I am sure he told many others, that the 2016 election wasn’t going to go the way I thought it would. It was obvious to him that I, like so many others, thought that it was a piece of cake for Hillary Clinton to win a big victory. He kept saying, “No, it isn’t going to happen that way, and the result is going to bring about chaos.” Just as with most of his predictions, what he said would happen did happen. What’s worse is that we’ve experienced eight months of chaos and things don’t appear as though they will get better any time soon. While he was with us, Mr. Gregory gave us much invaluable advice and information. In his newest and final book, Defining Moments in American History—Reading Between the Lies, he has bequeathed us his counsel and guidance for our future survival. The book is Mr. Gregory’s instruction about the need for us to be kind to each other, about the need to rid ourselves of hate and
E. Faye Williams
2.6 times more tobacco advertisements per person in areas with an African American majority compared to White-majority areas. In addition to the African-American community, the LGBTQ community is vulnerable to the dangers of smoking. Nearly 25 percent of LGBTQ adults in the United States smoke – double that of the general adult population. Tobacco use is even more prevalent among people living with HIV/AIDs. It is estimated that as many as 70 percent of people with HIV use tobacco and are two- to three-times more likely to smoke cigarettes than people without HIV. Higher rates of smoking in the LGBTQ community can be attributed to a wide range of factors, including coping with the added stress of societal prejudices. Unfortunately, many of the places meant to be safe havens for LGBTQ individuals and those with HIV are actually the main battlegrounds for fighting smoking. For example, the tobacco industry has targeted LGBT individuals and people with HIV for 25 years, advertising at LGBTQ community events, including Pride and even giving money to both national and local LGBT and HIV/AIDS organizations. Finally, the rise of e-cigarettes – devices that allow users to inhale a vapor containing nicotine, flavor, and other chemicals, are being targeted to high school students. Across the U.S., use of e-cigarettes increased 900 percent among high school students from 2011 to 2015. In D.C. alone, 14.8 percent of middle school students and 34.1 percent of high school students have used
e-cigarettes before. E-cigarette companies use product placement with celebrities, sponsor events frequented by a younger audience, distribute free samples, have “flavors” that make the product more attractive and often times do not require an age restriction to purchase the product. This year, the American Lung Association in the District of Columbia joined the DC Tobacco Free Coalition and 40 other partners from across the District to help all smokers, and especially these vulnerable populations, quit smoking as part of DC Calls it Quits! Week, which took place Sept. 18-22 Throughout the week, partners came together to highlight the importance of quitting smoking and called attention to resources to help D.C. residents quit for good, such as the DCQuitline, 1-800-Quit-Now, which provides services, including counseling sessions with certified tobacco treatment specialists, free nicotine patches and the new “Text to Quit” program being rolled out by the D.C. Department of Health. Smokers who get help are more likely to quit successfully, which is why DC Calls It Quits is a critical first step to providing every smoker in DC with the tools they need to quit smoking.
jealousy and about serving the people. Mirroring the strongest of his own character traits, he encourages us to be honest in all that we do and to have the courage to do all that we should do. He also reminds us not to take “dirty money” because, if we do, the day will come when we will have to forsake the best interests of our people to pay for what we received. So much of the chaos predicted by Mr. Gregory has been caused by #45 and the band of crooks who work for him. What stands out is the volume of unsettling news that surfaces daily. As Special Counsel Robert Mueller tightens the legal noose around the neck of Paul Manafort, #45’s former Campaign Chairman, one wonders when/if Manafort or other members of #45’s cabal of crooks will “come clean” and relieve the nation of the incessant anxiety of having to reconcile what can reasonably be called treason. For those who argue the severity of the word treason, I can only refer to the record of e-mails exchanged between Manafort and one of his employees candidly discussing arrangements to convene a private briefing regarding #45’s campaign for a Russian billionaire with close ties to Vladimir Putin. Such a briefing violated the
law and opened speculation that Manafort’s position was being leveraged to establish influence in the White House. Rather than focusing national attention on the devastation and recovery from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, #45 attempts to divert and mire our attention in the ridiculous claim that President Obama and Secretary Clinton bear the blame for the continuing nuclear threat from North Korea. Rather than affirming scientific research proving human involvement in global warming and the growing intensity and impact of major storms, #45’s administration number among the deniers. I once read a book that spoke of a 1,000 people who made America great. The list did not include #45, but Dick Gregory’s name was there. I will never forget his impact. He lived his life with honesty and character. He lived for the betterment of humanity and never stopped encouraging us to work to end the chaos in our lives. He fought the good fight. He kept the faith and finished his course.
Laura Hale is a program specialist with the American Lung Association in the District of Columbia, Chair of the Programs Committee for the DC Tobacco Free Coalition, and a resident of D.C.
Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq. is the National President of the National Congress of Black Women. For more information go to nationalcongressbw.org or call 202-678-6788.