������ Sohyun Chun
Mr. Johnson
English 10v1
1 June 2004
Emerging Viruses
��The man who does not read good books has no advantage
over the man who cannot read them.�� Mark Twain emphasizes from this quote,
the very significance of reading. Recently, due to the objection of some of
the faculty members who were not originally involved in the selection process
establishing the current Critical Reading Program; the 9th-wave CR list was revised.
One of the books removed from the original list was a book by L. Horowitz,
Emerging Viruses. 10 of the 11 teachers who voted were against reading the book.
A myriad of factors convinced the teachers and me to think
that the book was poorly suited to the critical reading list.
L. Horowitz��s Emerging Viruses, is a thought-provoking book that explores
the theories of AIDS and Ebola (either caused accidentally or intentionally)
within the social and political context of American
history (Nelson, Emerging Viruses).The book explores the origins of the
world's most deadly viruses--HIV and Ebola--claiming that these
"emerging viruses" did not naturally evolve and then jump species
from monkey to man. The book suggests that these mysterious viruses
were laboratory (either accidental or intentional) creations.
If the AIDS creation was accidental, this accident would suggest shocking
carelessness, and if intentional,AIDS would imply a genocidal plot
of immense proportions.
The main reason for the ten teachers��
opposition was their view of the difference between conspiracy theories
and good,
credible science. Because AIDS has had such a widespread,
tragic effect on millions of people world wide, ��a number of myths,
urban legends, and conspiracy theories have arisen surrounding the disease.��
(Wikipedia) According to the Wikipedia Encyclopedia, a conspiracy theory is
��the belief that historical or current events are the result of manipulations
by one or more secretive powers or conspiracies.��(Wikipedia) A conspiracy
theory alleges that some particular event -- such as an assassination,
a revolution, or even the failure of a product –�� resulted not solely
from the visible action of overt political or market forces, but rather
from covert manipulation.�� (Wikipedia) According to Thomas J. Nelson, a book
critic, ��This is a vile, hate-filled book written by an author who appears to
have great difficulty distinguishing truth from fantasy.�� (Nelson, Emerging Virues).
The AIDS subject is a supposed conspiracy perpetrated by AIDS researchers,
who according to Horowitz,��engineered the AIDS virus in a conspiracy with
the U.S. military�� (Nelson, Emerging Viruses), and then, motivated by
some mad desire ��to eradicate the homosexual and black populations,
released the disease on the population��(Gibbons, Sound Science).
Most Americans who have died from AIDS are white, not black,
and the disease affects heterosexuals more than homosexuals in Africa.
Similarly, although AIDS has been around for more than 20 years, it has not reduced
the black population of the US or of Africa
(Africa��s population has grown significantly over the past 25 years).
If AIDS were true bio-warfare, truly genocidal, it would have at least
wiped out some significant percentage of the world��s blacks. I believe
the book contains controversial opinions that are supported by weak evidence,
giving an impression of frivolity.
We should have objective rules to allow ourselves to discern what is scientific fact
and what is mere opinion. Without rules, anything a person says can be presented
as scientifically valid. The author of Emerging Viruses fails to properly
discriminate fact from fiction or reality from wishful thinking and writes about
theories that don��t meet the test of logic. Provided a theory is sound and that
there is credible evidence to back it up, it will continue to be discussed and
examined until such time that it can be either designated an axiom or rebuffed
altogether. The book by Horowitz, however, supports its theories with "proof"
for which the author relies on conversations he has with his wife about
some supposed insight to a conspiracy while reading the morning paper.(Horowitz 32)
The conspiracy theory itself depicted in the book is so mind-bogglingly improbable
and illogical as to defy belief. The information Horowitz presents lacks
legitimacy. Even Mr. Williams states, ��Horowitz does not offer convincing evidence
that actually proves anything -- his facts are largely irrelevant to
the real issue.�� We should accept experimentally verifiable reality and credible
truth and resist the merely perceptual. Theories that are attempts to integrate
proven facts, and theories that are based on speculations and are unsupported by
solid evidence must be distinguished from each other.(Zimmer 34) Only true science
and accurate knowledge integrate the fact and reality KMLA students need
to be aware of.
To include a book of questionable legitimacy in the critical reading list would be
foolish. Mr. Williams mentioned Emerging Viruses as being self-published,
which implies that the author was unable to find a legitimate publisher.
The book was probably not considered credible by any major publisher
(publishers will often take over a book if it appears to be of real merit).
If only 50 books out of millions are being selected for the reading list, perhaps
it would be wiser to select those which have met the standards of at least
someone other than the author. In addition, I believe the author of the book is
unreliable. If the author is a Harvard-educated dentist, he should know better
about realistic theories.(Dvorsky, Pseudoscience) Also, the purpose of the book
might have been just to earn profit or to purposely convince and alter the thinking
of people to the author��s bias. The author��s opinion that AIDS was created
deliberately to eliminate the Jews and that AIDS was a practice similar to ethnic
cleansing runs a clumsy campaign. There are numerous books to choose from rather
than Emerging Viruses. The book is just someone��s opinion, someone��s fantasy.
If the book was fiction it would be considered legitimate, however, it is
nonfiction - the author said so, the reviewers said so, Amazon said so. In the
opinion of ten of the eleven members of the English department, there was no
compelling reason for including the book. Mr. Johnson failed to convince a
single member of the department that the book had sufficient value to merit its
inclusion on the list. I think Horowitz��s theories need more research,
more thinking and considerable improvement.
The theories that the book explains are vague and ambiguous in both truth and
meaning and could lead to detrimental consequences.(Lower, Pseudoscience)
Horowitz insists on his theory that AIDS was either an accident or
deliberate – those are so different as to be incompatible theories. If he
admits it might have been an accident, then he must not have evidence to support
the view that it was intentional genocide, in which case, he should not put
forward such a libelous and unsupportable charge. AIDS is a very serious topic
that requires great knowledge.(Ferber 43) AIDS must be treated with great
responsibility. Accepting false knowledge about AIDS can turn out to be a deadly
mistake that could endanger the lives of patients. Furthermore, the book may
work its artifice upon innocent minds because the tone of the book is neither
neutral nor informative but emotional and passionate. Emotions should not interfere
with technical information, and no emotions are necessary to present real,
true information. The book focuses on beliefs instead of being educational
and informative. I think it is unreasonable to waste time exploring theories
that are not proven. If AIDS was a genocidal conspiracy, the author must make
his proof strongly enough so that it cannot be challenged. To do less is to
simply state an opinion, which is divisive and destructive. Had the matter
been proven to the satisfaction of those most knowledgeable about the virus,
it might well be suitable as a required reading -- but it has not yet
achieved this status.
Mr. Johnson remarks, ��Why take the book off? We only put books of literature on
the CR reading list! The purpose of the CR test is not just to aid the students
taking the AP Literature or the AP Language tests. Some students don��t plan to
take the tests.�� There were 13 books of English literature out of the 50 total.
I think the ratio is pretty fair. Mr. Johnson asks the wrong question: ��why take
it off��- the question should be ��why put it on?�� He should justify the inclusion
of books, which the advisors thought of doubtful value. Mr. Williams, says the
head of the English Department, Mr. Woo, wanted a permanent reading list.
Keeping in mind that requirement, teachers including Mr. Williams preferred to
select more significant books that would benefit all students of different waves
and generations to come. I think Mr. Johnson approached the assignment from a
different point of view predicting that the list would change again and again.
Moreover, Mr. Johnson thinks the list should deal with issues he considers
important, so he prefers what is current to what is classic.
��Students must be accustomed to real life, current events and health problems
that exist in the world today��, Mr. Johnson stresses. Yet critical reading
programs need not serve to teach students about current issues. We can easily
find and learn about current issues in periodicals, in newspapers, or on television.
Unlike books that explore current events, classic works help the mind to develop and
mature and are essentials to the critical reading list. The classics
provide the insights and the insides needed for application to various
life situations. The themes and motifs included in the works of literature
provide the philosophy and insight crucial to human life. It is necessary to have
such knowledge to endure all kinds of hardship and overcome apparently insuperable
obstacles. Books on the critical reading list should contain books that are important
to all students�� life and values. The content within novels and classics can
be applied and deciphered by all human beings of any race, any personality, and
of any culture and background. Classics are called classics because they provide
readers with the knowledge we cannot extract from other books. Therefore classics
are widely read by people from all around the world.
Mr. Johnson contends, ��Emerging Viruses offers the students a chance to
access open perspectives through rebuttal and debate.�� In fact, there are
no book-debate courses in KMLA, and it is rare to have debating sessions
in regular English classes. There have been very few debates in classes.
��Debate can take place within oneself,�� Mr. Johnson might respond. Looking
realistically, though, evaluation, rebuttal and debate typically do not
take place between one and oneself.
Furthermore, there is no judge to balance the debate or end it with a
conclusion and answer. ��We can judge and find answers to our debated thoughts
by researching,�� Mr. Johnson may rebut again, however, researching for
all KMLA students will take place in the World Wide Web. The internet is
a convenient way to search for quick results but not all sites are reliable
sources. Websites don��t have licenses and people may lie, because there
are no consequences. For example, a person who is a high school drop out may
claim that he or she graduated from Harvard with honors. Reading information
put out in the internet market by that student might make digestion of
false information. Therefore, it may be difficult to find a conclusion
to a debate by researching.
The teachers voted against Horowitz��s Emerging Viruses, because they knew
the book was unsuitable for the critical reading list. There is by fact
many reasons and evidence that show the book��s unreliability and
ineffectiveness. Thus, I agreed and still agree that the book be taken off
the CR list. I think the students of KMLA would like to read more books on
literature than on current issues. Therefore, later on, if we need to make another
critical reading list, I��d like to suggest creating the list by getting to
a consensus with all students, parents and teachers. I recognize the benefits
that Mr. Johnson seeks to achieve, but I feel that simply reading this particular
book without having discussion classes built around it and teachers prepared
to evaluate it with the students, would not be very useful.
Works Cited
Coleman, John. Diplomacy by Deception. New York: Bridger House Publication, 1993
Dvorsky, George P. The False Promise of Pseudoscience. 2002. 16 June. 2003.
http://www.sentientdevelopments.com/pseudoscience.html
Ferber, Dan. ��The New Science of Cell Hacking-emerging research��.
Popular Science June. (2004):43~45
Gibbons, Jim. Science Still a Sound Idea. 2004. 11 March. 2004
http://chriscannon.house.gov/press2004/soundscience.htm
Horowitz, Leonard G, D.M.D., M.A., M.P.H. (foreword by John W, Martin, M.D., Ph.D.).
Emerging Viruses : AIDS & Ebola – Nature, Accident or Intentional? Massachusetts:
Tetrahedron, 1988:
Lower, Stephen. What is Pseudoscience. 2001. 30 May. 2004
http://www.chem1.com/acad/sci/pseudosci.html.
Nathan, Aaseng. Science versus Pseudoscience. USA: Watts, 1994
Nelson, Thomas J. AIDS and Ebola - Nature, Accident, or Intentional. 1996. 25 Jan. 1999
Wikimedia Foundation. AIDS conspiracy theories. 15 January. 2001. GNU Free Documentation License(GFDL).
Wikimedia Foundation. Conspiracy theory. 15 January. 2001. GNU Free Documentation
Zimmer, Carl. ��What came before DNA-the starting attempt to create living organisms in a lab��.
A+ work
well done
nice arguements
© 2000 [email protected]
6 Jun. 2004 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIDS_conspiracy_theories
License(GFDL). 6 Jun. 2004 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_theory
Discover June. (2004): 34-41
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