Raising his apology tour to new levels of absurdity, President Barack Obama apologized to the Guatemalan people for a scientific experiment sponsored by its own government. On Friday, Obama called the president of Guatemala to express his “deep regret” for an experiment conducted more than 60 years ago. From 1946-48, the U.S. Public Health Service oversaw a medical experiment designed to “test the effectiveness of penicillin” in treating syphilis by infecting nearly 700 Guatemalan prisoners, soldiers, and mental patients with the disease, then treating them. Apparently, the torture consisted of bringing STD-laden prostitutes into Guatemalan prisons for conjugal visits. (Fewer subjects had syphilis injected or otherwise introduced into their bodies.) The treatment administered may or may not have been sufficient; the feds ended the experiment and recalled the team. Susan Reverby, a professor at Hillary Clinton’s alma mater, Wellesley College, discovered the experiment and revealed its existence in January’s Journal of Policy History.
Having heard of it, the president decided to add another date to his international apology tour. Why miss an opportunity to belittle America B.B.O. (Before Barack Obama)?
On Friday afternoon, Barack Obama called Guatamalan President Alvaro Colom, sombrero-in-hand, seeking penance and absolution. (He also immortalized the moment with a PR photo.)
But one apology was not enough. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius wrote out a mea culpa noting: “Although these events occurred more than 64 years ago, we are outraged that such reprehensible research could have occurred under the guise of public health. We deeply regret that it happened, and we apologize to all the individuals who were affected by such abhorrent research practices.” (Emphasis added.) Hillary Clinton also bowed southward.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs greeted the news by saying: “Obviously, this is shocking. It’s tragic. It’s reprehensible.”
It is. So is the apology.
ABC News‘ Jake Tapper reported, “The study also was sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, a forerunner of the Pan American Health Organization, and the Guatemalan government.” (Emphases added.) Reverby wrote, “Permissions were gained from the [Guatemalan] authorities but not individuals, not an uncommon practice at the time.”
Despite the repentance and their own government’s complicity in the crimes, Guatemalan officials were not appeased. “Sorry isn’t enough; we need compensation,” thundered Guatemalan lawmaker Zury Río. The nation’s ambassador to the U.S., Francisco Villagran de León, said: “We don’t even know if there is a list of these individuals. If there are any survivors, which is not likely, we should make sure that they should receive care.”
Swell idea. Since the Guatemalan government imprisoned or employed the “volunteers,” perhaps its officials should have checked their health status sometime during the intervening 60 years. These subjects would have experienced all the joys of the public health care system established by self-described “spiritual socialist” Juan José Arévalo Bermejo, and expanded by his Marxist successor, Jácobo Árbenz Guzmán. The fact that no one in the modern government can vouch that its doctors treated known infection victims is an eloquent indictment of socialized medicine.
The same is true of the American government that initiated the program. The infections were run by Dr. John C. Cutler, who died in 2003, and overseen by Surgeon General Thomas Parran Jr., who died in 1968, about the time Bill Ayers began his rise to prominence with the Detroit wing of Students for a Democratic Society. Parran was appointed by FDR, whom President Obama has said he admires.
Obama’s apology stands somewhat in contrast to his treatment of Bill Ayers. Obama dismissed calls to explain his connection with Ayers, whom he described as “a guy who lives in my neighborhood, who’s a professor of English…who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago when I was 8 years old.” The syphilis tests took place 20 years before that.
Nonetheless, on Friday the leader of the free world apologized to the president of a third world backwater for experiments conducted when neither one of them was alive and that both their governments approved.
One can hardly expect more from a president who said on the campaign trail two years ago, “I personally would want to see our tragic history, or the tragic elements of our history, acknowledged.”
The Guatemalans’ faux outrage over the tests — and demands for reparations from Uncle Yanqui — are hardly surprising. Unfortunately, they may pay off. The Obama administration has promised to launch “a thorough investigation” of the 64-year-old event (two, actually). A voluntary reparations plan may give the president cover to transfer more American wealth to the Global South, as long advocated by his Science Czar John Holdren. Obama has said, “I consistently believe that when it comes to whether it’s Native Americans or African-American issues or reparations, the most important thing for the U.S. government to do is not just offer words, but offer deeds.”
Van Jones, Obama’s “Green Jobs Czar,” once screamed:
And our Native American sisters and brothers who were pushed and bullied and mistreated and shoved into all the land we didn’t want, where it was all hot and windy…No more broken treaties. No more broken treaties. Give them the wealth! Give them the wealth! Give them the dignity. Give them the respect that they deserve. No justice on stolen land. We owe them a debt.
Jones was recruited by Obama’s alter ego Valerie Jarrett.
The redistribution serves both Obama’s guilt and his ideological ends. He and all American liberals believe American actions — and only American actions — are uniquely “unethical” and “reprehensible,” from our founding on “Indian land” to our exploitation of “more than a fair share of the world’s resources.” Strangely, when Communists or Muslim fanatics engage in human rights violations, they are content to look placidly away or, in Obama’s case, to make excuses for bombings long ago.
The problem is not that they abhor human rights abuses. The problem is they abhor America.
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The LAST thing we need is this phony illegal alien apologizing for us, (AGAIN!) especially for something so ridicules! He needs to be apologizing TO US for his idiocy! Maybe WE should rise up and ask for compensation for all of Obama's oppression of America!!!
Obama it looks liike cna't be our president legally. Who must pay for this? Surely there is someone who must hvae cleared this and maybe they should be put in priosn for treason. Then Obama should be punished. Because this is something that is serious and they want to pretend it's no big deal. I mean this should have been the first thing that would be cleared. The first quesiton were you born in America? I think this is another case of the chosen are pulling the wool over our eyes. When they gave us Bill Clinton and there isn't a crime this guy didn't commit.
The only thing he's good at at …unnecessarily apologizing for ancient history …or anything else! Does he know WHO was president then? I doubt it … TRUMAN a DEMOCRAT!!!! Get a life jocko!!!
It looks like this SORRY PEACE OF CRAP, SOB can only keep trying to desgrace and put us and this Great country down and when he isn't apologizeing for us , it is his good for nothing gobs of commie CARZ's doing thier damnest toturn the world agaist us in any way they can. I say try them for TREASON AND HANG THE SORRY SOB's
God Bless America and Our Troops Past Present and Future.
Keeping to My Oath Locked, Loaded, and Keeping My Powder Dry,
Get the US out of the UN and the UN out of the US.
They should apologize to the children that were killed when they lied about Vietnam and Korea. We should apologize to the germans for getting involved in a war that didn't conern us. We need to apologize to the Germans for bombing their cities just to kill their citizens. We were wussies for bombing their cities, but we didn't bomb the Vietnamese and Korean cities. We need to apologize to Iraq and soon Iran for destroyign their countries with depleted uranium. The last just war we fought was the war of 1812
When are we going to apologize to Germany for bombing their cities and murdering nothing, but women and children in Dresden. The British went with the first wave with 3,000 bombers. The the USA struck at 1 a.m. with 1,500 bombers in order to get the emergency crews that went to put out the fires. Then at 7a.m. the Mustangs struck and machine gunned the nurses and injured people on the outskirts. Just plain murder.
When will the government apologize to the American people for getting them into wars using trickery? Wars fought based on lies. Then lied to the men about the napalm. We need to apologize to the Vietnamese for bombing their country and to the Koreans. We need to apologize to the Serbians. We need to apologize to to the Eastern Europeans for not allowing the Germans to destroy Communism in their countries and so they had to endure Communism for another 45 years. We need to apologize to the Chinese if we let the Germans destroy Communism the Chinese would't have to deal with it now.
We can then apologize to the Iraqis and Afghans for destroying their country with depleted uranium and lying about the weapons of mass destruction and soon we 'll have to apologize to the Iranians and it will be based on lies just like all the other wars.
THE WORST PART OF THIS CONTINUATION OF ABSURDITY IS THAT OBAMA IS STILL PRESIDENT
AND PELOSI AND REID ARE STILL AROUND FOR A "LAME DUCK" SESSION OF CONGRESS. HANGING IS TOO GOOD FOR THE THREE OF THEM. WE MUST GET RID OF THEM ALL AND TRY TO KEEP THE DAMAGE THEY CAN DO LIMITED, GOD HELP US UNTIL JAN 2011 AND THEREAFTER
UNTIL WE CAN GET RID OF THE STUPID S.O.B. WHO IS PRESIDENT AND STILL HAS A BIG VETO
PEN. WE HAVE A LOT OFREBUILDING TO DO, THAT WILL TAKE YEARS. AT THIS POINT I WONDER
WHY I FOUGHT IN WW2 AND LOST SO MANY DEAR FREINDS IN THE EFFORT. I WOULD FIGHT
AGAIN
TO REGAIN OUR LOST HERITAGE.
Obama's absurd apology to Guatemala 64 years after the fact appears that he doesn't have much to do while the nation he is supposed to be leading crumbles around him. Maybe he should practice his violin so he could play like Nero. Perhaps Germany should follow his brilliant example and apologize to all the survivors of the holocaust. If reparations were made for the acts of Hitler, Germany would financially collapse in an instant. Ironically this new piece of smut, dug our of our history, was at the hands of a Democratic administration and congress. Go figure! I have an excellent book called the Bible and it says that "ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God." We all have committed disdainful acts and most of us have done some good as well. We cannot apologize for the acts of others, including our own forefathers, but we all can and should apologize for our own wrongful deeds.
If Obama doesn't want to repair our nation from the damage he has caused, I'm sure he could more than fill his time with apologizing to the citizens of the US, the list would be so long.
Mr. Johnson: Thank you for the article. Most appropriate ending assessment of the chief apologizer. The chief apologizer has found yet another excuse to give away America's (the US) wealth to foreign countries, to wherever, especially to those hostile to the US. the chief apologizer provides no excuse, however, for not producing the birth certificate and any of the other damning documents that would reveal the truth about bama the chief phony, the chief anti-American.
bama the chief campaigner, campaigning being one of the principal tasks and continuous efforts while "in office", yes, the stolen office backed by muslim foreign conspiracies organizations, has been spouting the revival sermons for the last two weeks in particular, along with his pandering demoncrat federal legislators: that America needs "change". Well, such a familiar-sounding broken record from the 2008 pre-selection (vs election) campaign speeches by bama, since 20 Jan 2009 ENOUGH has been done to sabotage America, there is NO WAY you will be permitted to continue or with any of your regime.
Since 20 Jan 2009 ENOUGH has been done to sabotage America, there is NO WAY bama will be permitted to continue or with any of his regime. What is really needed is the need for UNchange, to repeal all the vile legislation and hidden policies and czar bureacrats implemented and UNdo the damage already done by the demoncrats, who are interested ONLY in continuing their policital power, and NOT interested in benefitting or to preserve, protect, and defend our Country per their oath of public office. demoncrats are currently saying "take back America". What! They have already TAKEN America. Our Country will TAKE the demoncrats AWAY from power in their fawing to the bama anti-Christ…to crush the head of the snake under the Republican heel in Nov 2010 and in Nov 2012. Begone satan and regime!
Until we understand that Obama looks at white Americans and Europeans as opressors of the world, none of this will make sense. He hates white Americans (even though his is HALF white). If we continue to be SO politically correct, we are going to be in real trouble!
No doubt he is, as we speak, checking to see how many billions he can send to them as part of his apology and to further redistribute the wealth.
Patriot9878: Please tell us when the people that put this terrible Muslim in our WH will apologize to the REAL American citizens? I'll wait, but I don't have that long, I'm afraid! This person in the WH has NO business telling lies about our country. We should ALL know by now he is trying his level best, and I'm afraid he is succeeding, to destroy our USA! That is IF all the people that believed all those lies he gave out, put him in there will really LOOK at the things he has and is still doing to OUR country!
I think it's high time we get to the bottom of this Marxist's clumsy claim to the WH and also as to why the federal court system seems to not want to deal with the legitimate challenges to any Constitutional right on his part to lay claim to the Office of President. It's obvious that he seems bent on destroying the free market, going so far as to foist "business solutions" on the private sector when he himself has apparently NO experience with free enterprise… And it sure shows in the massive destruction by each idiotic maneuver by the leftists! If he's thrown out on that basis of non-citizenship, then at least we can toss out Kagan and Sotomayor from their bench appointments as illegitimate selections by virtue of Obama's own illegitimacy. When is this country going to wake up and see the ugliness that is this administration? It is certainly a sad day for the United States when our so-called journalists remain dedicated to Communism, liberalism, and stupidity, fancifully regarding themselves with vision "beyond the level of genius" as they continue to make our nation self-destruct before the idol of socialism.
What is a liar? If someone believes a faults thing and profess it as truth is it a lie? I think it depends on the intent. If someone in earnest believes the lie he was deceived by himself or another. How can a person protect that he is not sharing a lie? Never take anything for word value. Especially if it involves harming someone if they believe the lie too. So it goes with our country. Those that profess America to be a democracy when in truth it is a Republic are either a liar or passing on what they believe. Either way your country is being usurp and taken over by democratic socialists bent on the destruction of the Republic. Time for us all do some historical leg work. So if you believe a lie and help to destroy America, whos fault is it?
I'm calling for reparations to America from the Democrat party who did not constitutionally vet this foreign usurper enemy within so called "POTUS" who has so weakened our standing abroad through is anti-American foreign policy and who with the hand of Nancy Pelosi, her gavel and the 111th congress is systematically destroying the American economy. Included in the impeachment hearings for both, I want every law repealed, every nominated Supreme Court justice repealed/impeached including and especially the Pro-Sharia Elena Kagan. Then I want reparations from the coffers of the Democrat party. Reparations to the American people. Sound outlandish? It shouldn't.
We must not let the issue cool; we must keep this on the minds of all True AmericansL Barrack must be exposed as not meetiing Constitutional criteria to be president.
If he is not sucessfully removed via impeachment during the next two years, he must be prevented to run again for president. Barrack is not the democrats candidate. He is the candidate of muslims and all who hate caucasian Americans. He was born in Kenya and raised as a muslim. His overriding objective is to destroy the Unitied States.
Beyond his hate for Amerie due to his upbringing as a muslim, Barrack hates caucasian Americans due to his less than loving regard he has for his mother. Any clinical psychologists or psychiatrists in the audience, please provide additional professional insight regarding this.
AmericanTruth…..You've hit the nail square on the head! He is all about Islam,the "black brotherhood", and hating whitie and America! Well said! IT IS WHAT IT IS!
What doctrine do “spiritual socialist” follow …. Many uses for a hammer and sickle ??
Oh please. The then government in Guatamela knew about and approved of it. WERE THE FORCED INTO IT OR WERE THEY GIVEN A CHOICE.? Okay it happened. If y'all don't want this siliness to continue VOTE. Maybe someone will have guts enough to start the proceedings leading to Obama"s arrest for his illegal presidency.
Can't Obama make this easier on everyone by just issuing one apology to the whole world for everything, whether we had anything to do with it or not, just to get it over with? Better yet, since he feels it's his duty and his place to make apologies for our country, why doesn't he go before the UN and let every member throw rotten eggs and tomatoes at him and then spit on him as they walk by calling him bad names in their own language (with English translation, of course, for our benefit)?
How sad that rather than focusing on the constant lack of ethics in US human subjects experimentation, people would choose to attack the president and the Guatemalans. Just for a historical footnote, the Guatemalan LEFTIST government was not the one in power during the experiments which happened some time ago.
The apologies are weak of course – it's likely the people are dead by now after having suffered a horrible life at the expense of the "research" interests of human parasites. The point is to now do something to stop all involuntary human subjects experimentation that harms. I guess I'm on the wrong website, since this is the "deregulation" type.
What will be interesting to see is what kind of posthumous apology those of us on the current wretched involuntary human experiments will receive…. will it matter if the farce comes out of the mouth of a Democrat or a Republican? I guess I'll be dead by then and won't care.