PUBLIC HEALTH
Acting against diabetes can be a tradition
Discovering the past is important for all Americans, especially African-Americans, for whom awareness of family history (such as diabetes) might be a personal call to action. African-Americans have nearly twice the risk of developing diabetes as their Caucasian counterparts.
The stakes are high: the rate of leg amputations, a devastating complication of diabetes, is much greater in blacks than in whites. Amputees often struggle with physical and emotional decline and are at risk for unemployment or under-employment.
One strategy is to start an annual Black History Month tradition. In celebration of family, each family member could direct the future by helping to update the family’s health history and taking action. Families at risk for diabetes could renew commitments to healthy lifestyle behaviors and work to turn behaviors into habits like increasing physical activity and limiting intake of sugars.
Family support of using online resources (like heal2gether.org and diabetes.org) to become more educated can save limbs, save lives and protect the family’s health and wealth legacy. Celebrating Black History Month this way commemorates the struggles of the past by minimizing the struggles of the future.
Dr. David Schwegman, Atlanta
POLITICS
Wrong people debating Planned Parenthood
The debate in Congress on funding for Planned Parenthood is yet another reminder that the religious writings from Judaism, Christianity and Islam were written by men, for men.
I will take these Republican representatives seriously when they indicate that their names are on the lists to adopt unwanted children. If they are not willing to do that, they should leave the abortion debate to women.
James C. Coomer, Norcross
MIDDLE EAST
U.S. has chance to show support for democracy
As the protests by people in North Africa and the Middle East rise, the United States has the opportunity to stand up clearly and without qualification to support democracy.
Our government, through several administrations, has supported autocratic governments that suppressed people of those countries (such as Bahrain).
Once and for all, we can declare to the world that we either truly believe in democracy at any cost (or really do not, and want only what serves U.S. interests).
We can succeed and prosper extraordinarily by supporting democracy 100 percent wherever it is taking root in the people of any country.
We can also decide to tell the world loudly and clearly that we do not support democracy unless it helps the interests of the United States. It is time to choose.
And as heartily as we support Iranian protesters, we can support protesters in every non-democratic regime, wherever it is.
Erik Stremke, Snellville
