|
Carol McGruder, Co-Chair
AATCLC
|
|
|
Though
my mother worked all of her life, like many Black women of her
generation, she was a woman of modest means, a woman who had invested
all of her worldly goods into her children. She was diagnosed with
breast cancer through a free screening program at a community clinic in
San Francisco; she received the best care at San Francisco General
Hospital from a team of top notch University of California, San
Francisco doctors. She survived ten years from her initial diagnosis and
enjoyed a great quality of life until her end.
Dr.
Porter I was shocked and angered, as were many across the state, when I
saw and heard your "No on Prop 29-No on the California Cancer Research
Act," radio and television commercials that have been flooding
California's airwaves. I could not believe that an African American
woman, a physician, who though not an oncologist, I assume would
appreciate the disproportionate rates of cancer affecting the Black
community. How could you make such blatant falsehoods against this June
ballot initiative? An initiative that will generate over $550 million
dollars a year for cancer research, advancing cancer research a quantum
leap, a leap that will without a doubt improve cancer prevention and
treatment for all Californians.
The
script of your commercial says that Prop 29 does not provide any
funding for treatment. As you may know Dr. Porter, effective treatments
are developed through research; there can be no treatment without
RESEARCH. I am sure that I speak for all cancer victims, cancer
survivors, and their families in voicing our whole heart support for
Prop 29. We want to unleash the power and creativity of California's
best and brightest researchers. Contrary to your comments Dr. Porter,
this funding will stay in California, but hopefully all Americans will
one day benefit from the discoveries made in our great state.
Dr.
Porter, those of us profoundly touched by cancer want to eliminate it;
to do that our state needs research. Research that can help us find ways
to prevent cancer, help us find ways to design culturally specific
programs that will get Black folks into care earlier, research that can
help us find out why African American women under the age of 45 are at
greater risk for triple negative breast cancer (which is the most
aggressive type of breast cancer and the hardest to cure), can help us
find out why though more White women get breast cancer, more Black women
die from it. These questions can only be answered through research. Dr.
Porter, rather than working against progress, perhaps you would you
lend your voice to helping us set that research agenda and making sure
it includes the needs of the African American community.
Though
there were many falsehoods in your commercial, one that I took
particular umbrage with was the one stating how much this tax will cost
Californians. The tax will add one dollar to each package of cigarettes
sold in California. In addition to cancer research, $156 million will go
to California's underfunded tobacco control program. The savings that
will be generated from preventing our young people from starting to
smoke and helping smokers (of whom one out of two will die from smoking)
to stop is estimated at $5.1 Billion dollars. $5.1 Billion dollars in
long term health care cost saved for all California taxpayers, because
though the majority of us don't smoke, we all pay the cost and bear the
burden of smoking. We cannot put a price on the savings in human life
and suffering. Proposition 29 is a true win-win for everyone--everyone
except the Tobacco Industry, they are the only entity that reaps huge
profits at our expense. Big tobacco is dumping tens of millions of
dollars into California in the hopes of confusing voters and defeating
this life-saving initiative.
Dr.
Porter, as co-chair of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership
Council (AATCLC), we ask you, did you or will you receive any
compensation for your stance on Prop 29? We have a hard time believing
that with all of the issues facing our community that you would pick
this one to volunteer your time on. If you have received compensation,
we ask that you give it back. In this year alone, over 160,000 African
Americans will be diagnosed with cancer. It is difficult to believe
that you knowingly participated
in this disinformation campaign mounted by the Tobacco Industry, an
industry that has preyed on our community for far too long.
The
African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council has over 150 years
of combined expertise in research, smoking cessation, community capacity
building, advocacy, and public policy. We are working diligently to
save the lives of Black people. Dr. Porter, we sincerely invite you to
dialogue with us. We will pray for you, it is not too late to "do the
right thing," and stand with us in our fight against Big Tobacco,
standing as David stood against Goliath.
But
for those who continue to choose Big Tobacco over the health of their
own people we say shame, shame, shame. In the name of my mother, Ruth J.
McGruder, shame, shame, shame. In the name of Marie Evans, who was
given free Newport cigarettes at age nine in Boston, later dying at 54
from lung cancer due to her lifelong addiction to nicotine, shame,
shame, shame. In the name of the 47,300 Black people who die every year
from tobacco-related diseases, shame, shame, shame.
We urge all Californians to-
Vote June 5th- YES, YES, YES on Prop 29-Vote June 5th
Related Story-Click Here