Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 15 February 1996 — Page 10

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The Muncie Times, February 15,1996, Page 10

►TO BE EQUAL

“Waiting To Exhale,” Million Man March, both good for blacks

Hugh

e. Price

In the last few weeks and months, two events, the hitmovie, “Waiting To Exhale,” and the Million Man March have captured the consciousness and dominated conversations among African Americans. And for good cause. While some critics may shrug off the movie as a soap opera about the bonding of four black women and see most of the men in their lives as insensitive scoundrels, this movie was more than that

With humor and poignancy, the women manifested real hopes and concerns about finding the right kind of men to help share their lives. Important social messages were evident The movie, adapted from Terry McMillan’s bestselling book, portrays modem, progressive, and upwardly mobile black women, a far cry from their frequent castings as docile servants, drug addicts, prostitutes or worse. That’s a breakthrough in itself. We welcome similar efforts by

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black writers and directors. In cities throughout the country, black mothers and daughters queued up to see the movie. Women, in groups, gathered in the lobbies of the movie houses, sat in restaurants or in their homes afterwards to discuss the movie and how their lives may or may not have resembled the lives of the women on the screen. It is no secret that relations between black men and women are strained. The black family, especially in poor areas, is in tatters. Households with fathers are a rarity. For black women who want to marry, the pool of available, educated, skilled black men, who can support families is shrinking. High death rates and incarceration in prisons have claimed so many young black men, potential husbands and fathers, that the concept of a twoparent family scans like a fantasy

for too many women. The women’s plight strikes at the core of what is commonly called the breakup of the black family. Simply put, how can you talk about family values when there is no family to speak of? Now for the connections between “Waiting To Exhale” and the Million Man March: both were gender oriented; and both outdid even the most ambitious forecasts for attendance. Men, some with their sons sitting on their shoulders, cried at the outpouring of brotherhood at the March, just as women sympathized and joined in camaraderie with their sisters off and on the screen. While the film spoke of black women’s hopes of meeting Mr. Right, die March spoke of black men energizing themselves to do the right thing by their womea The women hoped to establish families; die marchers promised to return to their homes to help

build and strengthen their families. It is too soon to tell what the follow-through will be from “Waiting To Exhale.” But many of the marchers, in growing numbers, are joining churches, fraternities and civic organizations, and seeking to adopt black childrea Fears that the march would crystallize differences among black men, and that the film would exacerbate relations between black men and women, have thus far not been justified. These were separate events, true, but they exemplified a coming together, a unity, that has been severely lacking among African Americans. Now, when black men and women start talking to each other — and the dialogue seems to have begun— we’ll have the beginnings of the family we so desire. & S£ 9$

Vasilis Makris, M.D., P.C. Diseases and Surgery of the Eye 288-1935 3300 W. Purdue Avenue

I have rheumatoid arthritis, and my physician recently put me on a drug called Plaquenil. He told me I am supposed to have a thorough eye exam, with particular attention to the retina, every 6 months. Can you tell me why?

&

The reason for those 6 month retinal eye exams, is the fact that Plaquenil is in a small class of drugs that can cause pigmentary disturbances in the retine, which can lead to loss of vision if they go unnoticed. As a rule, toxicity almost lever occurs until the total dose taken exceeds 700 grams, although some people have aken as much as 4,000 grams without problems. If changes are noted in the pigment of he macular area, then recommendation is made to the prescribing physician for the liQrnntimiarion of the Plaauenil. If it is oromotlv discontinued, the tissue will recover.

288-1935 • 3300 W. Purdue Avenue