The unanswered debate of how and when the HIV virus entered the United States has always been a sore subject. It is worldly agreed that this epidemic continues to terrorize the human population, and that any research is a working attempt toward a cure, however when the society we live in consciously uses its time and effort to work backward and point a blaming finger on one narrowed-down nationality or race of people, one must wonder if resources and funding are properly being used. Michael Worobey, a University of Arizona evolutionary biologist, led a study recently that ???believes??? the entry date of the HIV virus was in 1969, and working with his calibrated timeline, he and his researchers ???think an unknown single infected Haitian immigrant arrived in a large city like Miami or New York.??? And so begins my concern.
As a proud Haitian woman who has followed this debate very closely, I have found myself infuriated by many of these allegations. Plaguing this whole accusation is the lack of reaction of our people. A petition of protest has risen, penned with only two names and an email of one the ???scientists??? who took part in writing the article. We, as Haitians, need more solidarity to respond to such a ludicrous claim against our people. We need to be intelligent, rational and precise. We cannot fight science with emotion. In the name of all Haitians, past, present and future, we must come together as a force to take this allegation head on.
We need the Haitian Medical Association the Haitian Government, the civil society, Haitian media and clergy to take command and derive a statement that denounces such an explosive condemnation. We need to delve into the lives of these researchers and find where the funding came from for this research. We need to inquire about the so-called "scientist???s" background, where their degrees may have come from, the ideology behind their charges and the real reason why such a study surfaced 30 years later.
We need to validated the "Haitians??? blood sample that has been stored for 30 years in a hospital in "big city like Miami or New York." We need to challenge the result and find our own truth, or compromise amidst all results. Usually, I am not one to agree with conspiracy theories, however the Haitian leaders do need to get to the bottom of these allegations. More than ever now, our country cannot afford another set back, politically, economically or otherwise.
At this point, I would like to thank Dr. Daniel Laroche for his response article. The Empire State medical association denounced the claims. I learned a lot about the true origins of HIV and hope more will follow with this kind of scientific data to fight this new battle. Again, these serious accusations can have a devastating effect on a nation, our nation, our men, women and children, and their children to come, until the end of time.
So Haitian leaders, it is imperative that you step forward and do the right thing.

Sent by From: caroll Abrahams | 10:07 PM ET | 11-03-2007

Please do a follow-up report on how the Haitian Community is upset and in an uproar over this article. It seems we've gone full circle. I think that these allegations that a single Haitian caused HIV/Aids to spread in the US are unfair and malicious. I have read many articles since I've heard your report on the radio 89.7 FM. It would mean a lot to me, a member of NPR, to hear an in-depth report on the reaction of the Haitian people. Thank you.

Sent by Flaurie Martin | 11:36 PM ET | 11-03-2007

No matter what any pseudo scientist would say..., but it seems pretty weird that a single citizen flew from Africa to Haiti, then to the USA and spread the disease, AIDS, worldwide. This is a nonsense joke???

I didn???t want to talk, even think about this filthy (bloody) report for the humane intelligentsia of the scientific community. However, I realized that some pseudo scientists are always looking for weak or easy target like Africa, Haiti, and Black (Reference to the last controversial opinion claiming links between race and intelligence by James Dewey Watson).

It is a shame for these pseudo scientists and some individuals of the scientific community???

Sent by Ulrick Emmanuel Noel | 12:34 AM ET | 11-10-2007