Waters, a Los Angeles Democrat, and others criticized ownership of the Los Angeles Times and KTLA-TV by Chicago-based Tribune Company “Without diversity in ownership and participation, our democracy is in danger,” Rep. Maxine Waters said at the initial hearing held at the University of Southern California.

(Los Angeles, CA 10/06) Since 1991, Maxine Waters, with her no-holds-bar approach of advocacy on critical issues affecting underserved communities around the world, including the 35th Congressional District for which she protects its social and economic interests, continues to speak to powerful entities that affect our lives and how we see or don’t see ourselves.  This month has been nothing less of the same for her.  On October 4, prior to her being interviewed by Standing-N-Truth™, she appeared before the FCC, speaking out against the monopoly of media companies like Chicago Tribune Media, which owns the Los Angeles Times and KTLA-TV, two major local sources of information within the same demographic.  Unless diversity in ownership and participation is increases, our democracy is in jeopardy.

Her advocacy truly reflects the needs of the community that she serves.  In 1996, African American men in the U.S accounted for 50% of the prison population, according to a study conducted by the University of California-Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy.  Many of them are infected with HIV, but there is no system in place to provide treatment to them until they experience AIDS related complications.  “They should also have access to the medications and treatment available to the general public,” she says.

This is why she has introduced Bill HR (6038), which would require federal prisons to provide HIV tests for inmates upon their entrance and departure.  This would not only provide treatment to prisoners who are infected with the disease but it would assist inmates who know their status to make better choices about their behavior.  Maybe they’ll think twice about using protection before engaging in high risk sexual behavior or sharing needles if they are intravenous drug users.