Last week Creative Loafing put an article out insinuating that the Task Force for the Homeless is currently experiencing an outbreak of TB and the story has since morphed out of control.
We have confirmed with the Health Department that our headquarters on the fourth floor is not on any kind of alert and we do not believe that anyone from Occupy Atlanta was exposed, however as a precautionary measure members who have been staying at Peachtree and Pine are all being tested. Anyone who is concerned can call the Fulton County Health Department or go to a clinic for free testing. In the future we encourage members of the press to contact us before reprinting unchecked claims.
We would like to take the opportunity to point out that those without shelter are far more likely to contract diseases which thrive on compromised immune systems such as TB. Extreme poverty brings a host of other assaults on an individual’s health and well-being, above and beyond the primary hardships.
Public health agencies aggressively monitor such things and tend to display extreme caution and care; their work is often invisible and unremarked. Budget cuts mean that funding for essential health services have evaporated; in the past year 89% of state and territorial health agencies have reduced services, while 56% have had to cut entire programs. Our crisis of priorities is becoming a health crisis as well.
Thanks for the update Sara Spreading the word ;3
Post the media minutes when you can guys. I am planning on e-mail media sometime this week/weekend with some stuff, so you know what I can do with photoshop and how I can help out ;3
Apparently CBS local in Atlanta ran a story yesterday afternoon at 1:55pm. Here is the link. I don’t what know why facebook is part of the link, I thought CBS had it’s own website.
http://atlanta.cbslocal.com/2011/11/10/tuberculosis-breaks-out-at-occupy-atlantas-base/
i fixed it for you
Someone emailed me about this the other day. It’s rather ludicrous since we’re our own separate operation with our own separate office space in the building. Wondering who was foolish enough to run that story without fact-checking?
Never attribute to stupidity that which is adequately explained by malice.
And that CBS report is just lying. We’re thinking about moving because of a TB report? No. We’ve always had plans to find a suitable office space to move into, it’s just that we’re still investigating different options and their viability in this sprawling city.
And in case CBS DOESN’T know, let me confirm for you the obvious. We WILL be moving again. Peachtree and Pine- was never meant to be our Occupation, we merely set up an Occupation and some offices there to show we were in solidarity with their work in this city.
Just more lies from mainstream media!
This trick has been used previously to try to harm the Task Force. Check with Anita Beaty, she will tell you the history. It was proven to be misinformation. Same old trick by the same old fabricators.
It is important to understand the context of this situation. The 1% in Atlanta, GA including Emory University/Health Services, CAP (Central Atlanta Progress) the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and others want to remove the homeless shelter from the downtown district of Atlanta. They view homeless black folks in the business district as an inhibitor of their business aspirations. These representatives of the 1% have led a sustained campaign to remove the homeless shelter from that location for years. Please analyze the media and narrative about the Peachtree Pine homeless shelter with a critical eye. Are two TB cases that occurred months ago and that have since been removed and treated the reason for a sudden announcement of concern for the public’s health? Or is this another tactic by the 1% to put pressure on the already besieged homeless shelter?
I never really consider Emory University Healthcare as part of the 1%. I know and have seen them extend their services to the poor and uninsured. Do you have facts to share for us. I completely agree with you saying CAP and the Atlanta Chamber of Congress. The long history of the the poor, and homeless being criminalized in Atlanta is well documented. And it is a crying shame that money and greed has been favored over the human condition.
Wait, so it’s misinformation *because Anita Beaty says it is*? So her honesty is infallible? That’s not what I’ve heard *from people who have worked with her*.
It’s misinformation because nobody asked Occupy Atlanta before running that story, and because WE asked the Health Department and were told that we were not on alert. We are testing people anyway, because better safe than sorry, etc.
It’s also misleading because the context is that health issues like this among the homeless population are a result of them being homeless and the fact that many of them have other health problems which compromise their immune systems. Implying that it has to do with Task Force without offering that background information is not responsible or accurate WHATEVER you may think of the management of Task Force. Implying that Occupy Atlanta is suffering from an “outbreak” is even more irresponsible.