The Home of Steven Barnes
Author, Teacher, Screenwriter


Saturday, February 18, 2006

My ugliest Conspiracy Theory—


AIDS in AFRICA

This one is hideous, and I want to reiterate that I don’t think it’s true…just that it COULD be, and I’m damned uncomfortable about  it.

The following is a matter of fact: The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was a series of interviews, meetings, accusations and confessions by black and white South Africans, concerning the bad old days of Aparteid, with the intent to squeeze the pus from some very ugly wounds indeed.  During them, several white scientists formerly working for the South African government admitted that they had experimented with , and actively sought, race-specific pathogens specifically designed to kill blacks but not whites, with the intent to thin the population of South Africa and neighboring countries.  Among the gasses, bacteria, viruses and other agents they experimented with was HIV. 

They say their efforts failed.

I wonder.  The rates of infection in South Africa are fascinating, seen from this perspective.  If they had succeeded, would there be any difference between what we see now?  If they had perceived a combination of tribal behavior patterns, nutritional deficiencies, disease outbreaks, etc, and took advantage of it, would there be any difference?  Is it difficult to imagine a scenario in which they experimented, perhaps piggybacked HIV (which I do believe was naturally formed.  The first corpses found with HIV are earlier than recombinant technology required to create such a virus) onto an inoculation program…I can even see them testing such a program in the Carribean first.  And to be shocked that it crossed over into the white population so rapidly through gay sex.

But as the district attorneys say, they had motive, means, and opportunity. This doesn’t mean they did it, but…if I was a public official, of whatever political leaning, and I had this knowledge, knew that this was truth…I’m not sure I could speak it publicly.  Man, if I was a black African, and I found out this was true, the blast of raging fear and anger would motivate me to kill every white person in sight.  So  if it was true that AIDS had been “helped along” would we even know?

Like I said…this one is troubling because these guys ADMITTED that they tried to do it.  And because, dammit, it LOOKS as if they succeeded, even though they claim to have failed.  This one troubles me right to the core.  Do the research.  They said it, guys.  I’m not making this up.

Ugh.  I think I need to go wash my brain out.

Steve

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