Trust Issues: African Americans eroded affairs with the government and science
This week, our 'Whats In It For Us' hosts discuss why many in the Black community are still reluctant to get the COVID-19 vaccine
This week on the What’s In it For Us? Podcast, Dr. Christina Greer and Dr. Jason Johnson examine Russia hacking the U.S., the Biden-Harris cabinet picks, and how Black America is still reluctant to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Earlier this week, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine was endorsed by the FDA. With many people, from politicians to essential workers in line to receive the vaccine, the infamous photo of physician Dr. Florencia Greer Polite, receiving the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, is actually Dr. Greer’s sister, COVID-19 impacting 12 million Black families, many Black people are skeptical of the vaccine due to America’s history with experimental testing and the Tuskegee Syphilis Study.
“It is not the Syphilis experiment. This is not anywhere near this is,” explains Greer.
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With a lot of Black physicians taking the vaccines as a way to let our communities feel safe, many still are hesitant for good reason says Greer. With 1 in 800 confirmed COVID-19 cases resulting in death, Johnson breaks it down this way: chances of death are higher from catching COVID-19 than dying from the vaccine.
For certain communities, the trust issues make sense. To take the vaccine or not, Greer reminds us that “you tell that to someone who’s going to have the holidays” missing their relatives.
“Folks gotta be responsible, if you don’t want to take a vaccine, I expect you to wear a mask for 5 years,” says Johnson.
As the vaccine discussion continues, Biden-Harris’ picks are using “descriptive politics” to appoint cabinet members. Looks as though “Biden is putting people in to protect us,” says Greer, but they do not appear to be in the right position. The people are smart say the What’s In It For Us hosts, but “it’s the administration version of Freaky Friday,” says Johnson.
As Biden’s picks continue to be topsy-turvy, President Donald Trump’s lame-duck days are actively attempting to “bring a coup” says Greer.
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“Trump started this blueprint, so long as you’re unhappy and your aggrieved white man, then you can essentially say it’s cheating,” notes Greer.
Even though many communities are not fully protected by the 1965 Voting Rights Act, hence the case for early voting; however many Americans do not think the racial conflict Trump stirred is coup-like. The concept of “ethnic conflict” is easy to associate countries abroad but for some Americans, they cannot imagine it at home.
As we continue to watch the headlines, stay tuned to What’s In It For Us. The funny, politically edgy Black commentary podcast.
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