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Risk, Racism and the HPV Vaccine
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Vienna
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I was mystified by Courtland Milloy's Jan. 10 column opposing a D.C. Council proposal to require that young girls in the District be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus and thus be protected from developing cervical cancer later in life. I mean, how can anyone be against preventing cancer?
Mr. Milloy apparently saw nefarious and racist intent in the legislation because it was proposed by two white members of the council in a city where most of the girls to be vaccinated are African American. I just didn't get it.
Then came Mr. Milloy's Jan. 24 column on the subject. While he debated the relative merits of compulsory vs. voluntary vaccination, he also delved deeper into racist imagery. "Antebellum massa"? Insulting.
Implying that people who would submit to or advocate compulsory vaccination "are content to live and die as slaves"? Outrageous. Such language dishonors the memory of those who truly lived, suffered and died as slaves.
I simply don't believe that trying to prevent girls from developing cervical cancer is a racist plot.
BOB DARDANO
Washington
