I usedt o feel sorry for them but not anymore!!

[pickel]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/07/11...nce/index.html

World Health Organization figures released last week show that the virus infected a record 5 million people last year and caused 3 million deaths, a toll greater than any single year since 1981, when AIDS was first recognized.

Knowing full well the health problem and the personal results of contact with infected people and the obvious disregard for their own welfare, I cannot extend any more sympathy to those who donot have enough self control to let themselves become infected. I'm not saying I mind some of my tax dollars be used to help these misguided, ignorant people but more emphasis is needed on education and prevention. I cannot understand how a person would let him/herself get caught up in this situation. ( Except the poor , unfortunate ones born with this most destrutive desease.

[originel]

well one of the major problems is in some of the higher risk areas (such as africa) where most people don't know they are infected because they don't have access to health care to get tested.

[EpyonMelee]

thats crazy!!

thats like telling a child not to go into a well, and when they do fall in you dont help them.

[willy_ph]

I think it's ludicrous to blame the Aids epidemic upon the individuals themselves. As Originel noted, it's often the case that many of these individuals who are spreading the disease have no knowledge of the fact that they're infected because the healthcare infrastructure doesn't exist to test the population for infection. As a result, this affects the newborn children of Aids infected parents who can't obtain drugs to prevent the spread of the disease from the infected mother to the child.

Moreover, if Western nations were intent on controlling the Aids epidemic, they would end the political bickering that is attached to the funding of education and sexual contraceptive programs. The lives of too many people are on the line to treat this as another arena that should be subject to politics.

[Chuckiechan]

It is in our national interest to find a cure for aids. Each person infected is a "testube" that my create a strain that is even more easliy spread than the one killing off Africa today. Can you imagine if it became airborne, or spread as easily as a cold?

It is a slow motion "black plague" that decimated Europe and caused the Dark Ages.

Coming soon to a venue near you...forget the astroid!

[RayH]

A great many people don't know how the virus is spead. There are over 6 billion people in the world and the information is sketchy at best.

One of the most unfortuante things about the virus is that it takes at least 3 months to know if someone is infected. A hundred years ago, the FLU killed millions of people. HIV may become something similar.

Sometimes we assume people have a choice. Maybe a husband was having sexual relations with someone else while the wife was being monogomous. The husband spreads it to the wife to passes to the children.

Maybe a woman is forced into prostitution. In many countries in the world, this is not necessarily a voluntary occupation. Maybe some are victims of rape and incest. It gets very complicated.

As far as Clinton's relations with Monica, I was upset that he did not engage in protected sex. They were both adults. Who Bill has relations with is Hillary's problem, not mine.

[pickel]

I think it's ludicrous to blame the Aids epidemic upon the individuals themselves. As Originel noted, it's often the case that many of these individuals who are spreading the disease have no knowledge of the fact that they're infected because the healthcare infrastructure doesn't exist to test the population for infection. As a result, this affects the newborn children of Aids infected parents who can't obtain drugs to prevent the spread of the disease from the infected mother to the child.

Moreover, if Western nations were intent on controlling the Aids epidemic, they would end the political bickering that is attached to the funding of education and sexual contraceptive programs. The lives of too many people are on the line to treat this as another arena that should be subject to politics.

Man ,if I lived in an area that was killing millions all around me, I feel that I would have enough sense to abstain until I had myself and my wife tested for AIDS. I mean, you habe to figure logic into this senerio or are the multitudes just plain stupid ???????

[RedFury]

Yeah, but that's not necessarily how they think Pickel. For us it's a no brainer, we've been taught and it's been imprinted on us repeatedly from an early age.

I've asked myself why some people commit suicide, or at least try. In my mind I cannot fathom a reason to commit it, yet people do every day.

[originel]

also there's the fact that most of them are uneducated and probably don't even know how the virus is transmitted.

[Rmcky]

Well, I'm sure I'll catch a lot of flack for this, since it's probably not "politically correct", but something's terribly wrong with this picture. Now, I can't say that it's impossible to catch aides from normal vaginal intercourse, but it's fairly unlikely. My question would be "what, exactly, are these people doing to catch this bug in such great numbers?" Is another type of intercourse "that" common over there? Just asking, because anything else doesn't make any sense at all. If that is the case, perhaps the missionaries should concentrate their efforts in another form of education.

Oh well, I've been bold enough to say it. Yeah, I understand I'm ignorant, but, think about it. It really has no other logical conclusion, does it? I do feel terribly sorry for the people that have contracted it, especially the children born with it, but there has to be a logical answer to prevention, that, for whatever reason hasn't been pushed in these regions. The gay's rates are starting to increase again, simply because of permiscuity, but they proved it can be controlled and possibly eradicated one day. They chose to live dangerously, possibly for reasons most of us will never be able to understand, but the Africans probably aren't doing whatever they're doing for the sake of taking risks.

I'm not sure about you, but if I knew something I was doing for pleasure could be deadly, but it could be exchanged for something else that was just as pleasurable and safe to boot ( and normal ), I think it would be a no-brainer.

Anyways, feel free to jump right on my ignorance. Please do correct me if I'm that far off base. I'm not the most knowlegeable person when it comes to aides and really don't think I have to worry about it, but if I was single and out on the prowl, I do think I could protect myself faily easily.

Rick

[Warthog]

It is in our national interest to find a cure for aids.

I'd much rather have a cure for various forms of cancer, than for AIDS.

Warthog

[Blazer06]

Speaking for Americans only... they [we] are stupid. We know the risks, we have free access to find out if we have STD's, and if we took the time to do that with out partner before sleeping with them, problem wouldnt exsist. If they have an STD dont sleep with them.

But even, for a one night stand, if we just practiced safe sex, as there is no viable reason not to... problem would be cut in tenths.


Blaze

[jmebonner]

I'd much rather have a cure for various forms of cancer, than for AIDS.

Warthog

For the most part I agree, but I read a powerful piece in the Rocky Mountain news about a boy named Jonathan diagnosed w/ aids when he was two. From a blood transfusion on the day he was born. He just turned 21. Married w/ a baby on the way. Both baby and wife remain uninfected. I used to run only cancer and respiratory on FAD, I've now added Aids to a couple.

EDIT: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...996531,00.html

A great story if anyone cares to invest 20 minutes to read it. Inspiring to say the least.

[RedFury]

Excellent point Blaze. Problem is that most people care about not getting an STD, the level of care decreases proportionally to the proximity of the boo-Tay

[Blazer06]

Both baby and wife remain uninfected.

and in my most humblest of opinions, that is a pretty stupid chance to take.

and ... even worse than the mother, is what if the mother was infected, or the child. like other std's and diseses, the child never got to make any choices... they never got to say... alright i love this person, and im willing to risk my life for it.

Im not saying that people with STD's should be punished... but their offspring should not be. If consenting adults, understand the risk (americans only, again) and want to take it, go for it. i almost will envy them to be brave like that... but to risk a child, because of that is not fair. but i suppose lifes not fair. however, your not only risking a child, but a generation.

edit edit: thinking about a long conversation with sammy about this type of thing, i think that safe sex would be practiced, if sex wasnt that big of a deal. if the american society didnt make sex, and sex appeal so big, people would care a little less about 'getting some'. i know, that in my school, when we just come out of puberty, i find that most of us realized that we have been lied to. that their really is nothing wrong with sex. that their is nothing wrong with letting someone see you naked. and that was so emphisized when we were young, we forget everything they said, including the truth about the STD's. and we dont listen. (yup ... you all know 15+ year olds dont listen ). if women especially, could walk around topless, and sex was just that... sex.... nothign really special about it... wouldnt be such a huge issuse. then again, businesses would loose money, because we all know sex sells, and that happens, sex stops selling as much.


Blaze

[jmebonner]

Blaze, I understand completely. Without being too descriptive, the preferred method of protection failed in one situation and she became pregnant. If you get time, read it.

As for the other part, I disagree., If sex was as common as shaking hands, it would lose much of its' luster. Why get married and stay faithful to your wife? Just my humble opinion

[Blazer06]

yes... you do have a point that I completely missed.

I just feel that america... over does it. sure it should be 'sacred', but teenagers wouldnt be inclined to do it so badly, (well as young anyways) if it wasnt such a huge deal for grown ups only.

I read it... pretty amazing. maybe he carries a cure?

edit: then again, i have never experienced this magical sacred sex thing. so wth am i talking about?


Blaze

[ShawnD1]

well one of the major problems is in some of the higher risk areas (such as africa) where most people don't know they are infected because they don't have access to health care to get tested.

Another problem is complete and utter stupidity.
In Africa, it is widely believed that having sex with a virgin can cure you of HIV. obviously that is not true.
Most people think you cannot get HIV through oral sex. This is also untrue.

[jmebonner]

I read it... pretty amazing. maybe he carries a cure?


Blaze

Possibly, however he no longer gets his blood tested after every dose since he's been doing it for so long. Hopefully if he continues to thrive, he'll allow a little more testing to be done. Thanks for reading it Blaze!

jme

[RayH]

RedFury You are assuming that testing is available to all people in the world. It's not. Also, America does an excellent job of recruiting the health care workers from other nations to fill our own shortages.

People are going to go where their prospects for employment are better. But it does leave other nations with even more under served health care.

Again, there is an assumption that engaging in sex is always a matter of choice.