Your State Tax Dollars At Work -- Again

This is from an actual flyer for programs sponsored by the State Of California:

California Department of Public Health
California Department of Health Care Services

The Offices of Women’s Health and Multicultural Health Present the Seven-Part Documentary Series

“Unnatural Causes”
Is Inequality Making Us Sick?

As if it would be better if we were all equally well, like the Cubans in Fidel’s paradise.

Moreover, why is there a state-funded "Office of Multicultural Health"? What the hell? As long as the government is determined to muck with health care, I assume there is some need to target health care and health awareness campaigns to certain population subgroups, but "multicultural"? I guess people can't say "ethnic" or "minority" anymore? To me, and I think to many people, "multiculturalism" is a term with a definite political and very negative connotation. It's the one that says that people need to focus on the differences between hyphenated subgroups of Americans and maintain a mindset of victimhood and separatism. I don't want any tax money supporting actual multiculturist buncombe and I would prefer that state agencies not attach legitimacy to the term by adopting it to name agencies and offices.

Join Dr. Mark Horton and (director) Sandra Shewry for the kick-off of this provocative film series on:

Tuesday, May 6, 2008 from 12 Noon – 1:30 pm
Auditorium*
1500 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento, CA

“Unnatural Causes” is a seven-part documentary series produced by the California Newsreel that explores the root causes of our nation’s poor health.

The nation *isn't* in poor health, aside from perhaps some of us being too fat. That premise is an alarmist one and I haven't seen any data to substantiate it.

The documentary goes beyond popular conceptions linking the determinants of health - medical care, lifestyle and genes - to explore evidence of the other powerful determinants of health status: the social conditions in which we are born, live, and work.

That there may be a strong connection between lifestyle and “the social conditions in which we are born, live, and work” is, of course *verboten* to mention.

Each episode will be shown in the auditorium and will be followed by facilitated discussion where participants will share their reactions and explore ideas for how departmental programs can better address health inequities.

"Facilitated discussions"? I know they just intend to imply that there will be someone there to start the discussion and answer questions, but that sounds a little like something one would have in a Soviet Union classroom: discussions where a facilitator makes sure people think the right things and the discussion goes a certain way...

May 6th from 12:00 to 1:30: Episode I – “In Sickness and In Wealth” presents the
series’ overarching themes: health and longevity are correlated with social class, and racism imposes an additional burden.

In other words, you are never responsible for exactly what and how much of it you put in your mouth or in your bloodstream or up your anus, it is always “The Man’s” fault. Barf. I must admit they didn’t add “homophobia” to the list of additional burdens, so l take back the anus part.

May 15th from 12:30 to 1:30: Episode 2 – “When the Bough Breaks” - Investigates possible causes for why infant mortality rates among are twice as high for African Americans.

Could some causes be: Higher rates of drug use? Fathers who run out and don’t provide support, financial or otherwise? “Baby Mamas” having kids way too young and not caring enough for their prenatal children? Naw, couldn’t’ be that; , it is always “The Man’s” fault. Hmmm. And yet, I have never heard of a white or an Asian or even a Latino “crack baby” although I suppose they could exist…

May 29th from 12:30 to 1:30: Episode 3 – “Becoming American” – Explores the “Hispanic Paradox” - why the longer Mexican immigrants live in the US, the worse their health becomes.

“Why, it’s those evil corporations, by hiring them for more wages than they would get in Mexico and then turning around and selling them junk food!” You know, if this is true, than maybe mass roundups and deportations of illegals are a must—for their own good! After all, living in evil white capitalist Amerikkka will only ruin them. Best they go back to a land of preservative-free bug-infested food and Montezuma’s Revenge tap water.

June 4th from 12:00 to 1:00: Episode 4 – “Bad Sugar” – Set on an Indian Reservation in Arizona, it explores how chronic disease may be the body’s response to “futurelessness”.

So in other words, they can never be free of what happened to their ancestors one hundred and fifty years ago. I guess it also means that the Pimas will always be traumatized by Apache raids, which happened to them long before white people even showed up. And because of that, they are magically let off the hook for any bad dietary habits they may have! Oh, let them count their casino gaming money and shut up. This "documentary" isn't even happening in California--don't we have enough problems here without going to another state?

June 11th from 1:15 to 2:15: Episode 5 – “Place Matters” – why is the health of recent Southeast Asian immigrants eroding as they move into neglected Black urban neighborhoods?

When the SE Asians get beaten or mugged and sometimes killed by the locals, it probably does have a detrimental impact on their health. Does Ice Cube’s lyric “Burn Yo’ Stores to a Crisp” still ring a bell to any Angelenos? Or anyone else?

June 24th from 1:30 to 2:30: Episode 6 – “Collateral Damage” – Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Kidney Disease are taking a growing toll on Pacific Islander populations.

Collateral Damage? How are Pacific Islander populations caught in the cross-fire? And what sort of cross-fire is it? Who is attacking what and hitting them in the process? Let me guess--it's all whitey's fault, too....

June 26th from 12:30 to 1:30 – Episode 7 – “Not Just a Paycheck” – How does employment policy and job insecurity affect our health?

Hey, a sop to Joe and Jane Lunchbucket! But I know what affects *my* health, namely reading this crap. It makes me sick. Spending money on this propaganda at a time when the state deficit is at an all time high. And whatever happened to Public Health campaigns that simply told all citizens to brush their teeth, eat a balanced diet and not fool around with unsafe sex?

* All Episodes will be shown in the Auditorium. Please try to come a few minutes early.

As much as it might be tempting to watch and then blog on this, I think I will wait until someone takes it to YouTube. I can only stand so much).

You know, the Department's participation in the climate change fraud was *bad enough*, but this pinko propaganda is even worse. And of course, the flyer comes out on Communist May Day.
Is Schwarzenegger really a Republican? He appointed this Sandra Shewry to office, and I had heard in her private life she was a lesbian activist. OK, so what, that’s her private life. But when it spills over to the kind of political world view depicted above and attached, paid for by your tax dollars, then, yes, character DOES matter.

I never expected “Republican” governors to appoint department directors who oversee THIS sort of thing….