Aids Conspiracy in America

http://www.prb.org/Articles/2005/ConspiracyBeliefsMayBeHinderingHIVPreventionAmongAfricanAmericans.aspx

This web site was created by Charles Dervarics, Dervarics is a freelance writer who specialises in Education, health and employment issues. Dervarics is based in Alexandria, Virginia. This website uses many facts and statistics to argue that Black African Americans feel that HIV is a conspiracy and the American Government plays a considerable role in the creation of this disease and is preventing the cure to be given to Americans particularly Black African Americans.

Throughout the website Dervarics refers to other critics to discuss their view on the conspiracy theories hindering HIV Prevention among African Americans. Thorburn describes this conspiracy as dangerous due to ‘These beliefs are potential barriers to Aids prevention.’ The research shows that African American males who agree there is a conspiracy with HIV in America view condoms negatively therefore unlikely to wear them; thus potentially spreading or catching the virus. Comparing this view to the table of results from a phone survey of five hundred randomly selected African Americans aged between fifteen to forty-five Thorburn theories was proven correct. Black African Males are more likely to believe in this conspiracy than Black African females. The statistics that are given are interesting and informative. Dervarics claims that fifty-three percent of all African Americans from the phone survey feel that there is a cure for Aids and that it is being kept from the poor by the American Government. Forty-eight percent from the same survey believe that HIV is a man made virus.

Turner describes aids as ‘Tailor Made’ for conspiracy theories. Turner argues that if there is no conspiracy regarding Aids then why have most deadly diseases been around for so many years and then suddenly Aids is around and fatal. Turner also argues that the health inequalities African Americans have faced since slavery it is understandable why this conspiracy theory is so popular. Furthering Turners argument she refers to the Tuskegee Syphilis Study from 1932-1972 where the federal government admitted to withholding the cure from many poor African Americans as they wanted to see the affects of syphilis in the long term.

Aids throughout America is a massive issue but is also used as parody in films such as ‘Team America.’
This youtube clip represents how the Aids conspiracy is represented through the media. using Puppets; looking closely you can see the strings which are used to move them, making serious issues into a joke and something the audience are encouraged to laugh at.