New AIDS scare promoting fear and hatred

[Danocrat]

In my opinion, this new AIDS scare serves just one purpose--to promote fear and hatred of gays. In a nutshell, all these articles state that a gay man contracted full blown AIDS just months after having unsafe sex with multiple sex partners while using meth. They go on to say it may be a new resistant strain. Here's a portion of a CNN article:

"Drug-resistant HIV strain alarms officials
New York man developed full-blown AIDS within months
Friday, February 11, 2005 Posted: 11:17 PM EST (0417 GMT)
(CNN) -- Health officials in New York City are alarmed after a man infected with a highly drug-resistant strain of HIV progressed to full-blown AIDS within months of diagnosis.

That raises the possibility that a hard-to-treat variant of the virus could be spreading among gay and bisexual men who use the drug methamphetamine.

...snip

"In fact, risky behavior may be even more dangerous now since there is a change of infection with a virus we may not be able to treat," Dobkin said in a press release from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

...snip

"This case is a wake-up call," Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden said in the release.

The man, in his mid-40s, had not previously been treated for HIV. He was diagnosed last December and his infection appeared to be recent, health officials said.

...snip

"While this remains a single case, it is prudent to closely watch for any additional possible cases while continuing to emphasize the importance of reducing HIV risk behavior," Ho said in the health department's press release."
http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/conditions/02/11/drug.resistant.aids/index.html

All the articles I've seen have never been attributed to a real news source like AP or Reuters. The articles use quotes from various "health officials." And all this based on just one yet unverifiable case. It stinks of propaganda.

[Ruffhowse]

1. The Facist Right Wing will continue to use their trump card (the prejudice

against gays and the fear of AIDS) as a way to corral ignorant people into the far right camp. The Dems need to really put their heads together and come up with a better strategy to counter this while continuing to support equal rights for the gay community. I don't think they've done a very good job so far on this issue.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. What do you suggest? Maybe Hollywood should make a movie

which shows that this case is isolated and how the mean right-wing politicians are using it to churn more votes for Republicans? But we'll have to change the timing of this report to make it coincide with an election year to really get that point across. And maybe Hollywood can hire Alan Alda to play a fatherly type that will get the point across that it's lack of social acceptance from middle America that drives gays to practice risky behavior? That always works among the liberals. I know! We'll call it, "And the Band Played On, Part II." But we'll have to add a disclaimer that it's the sequel to the made-for-t.v. version which soft pedaled some of the critical observations that Randy Shiltz made about the gay community in his book. Let's not talk about those things, because doing that only lets the right-wingers win.

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. In your opinion, information of a lethal virus only serves ONE purpose?

So, should the CDC just be politically correct and sensitive to gays by keeping quiet and allowing AIDS to be the genocide killer it's continuing to be? No warning should be made because it makes you feel uncomfortable?

How about recognizing that the health community has a responsibility to society? That remaining silent will surely kill even more people? How about taking responsibility and doing something positive in the gay community to turn this damn trend around? It's because of the way you respond, that nutcase conservatives feel the gay community is not part of the mainstream. Do something remarkable to convince them that you recognize the bond that you have with society. That you're willing to temper your personal behavior for the good of society. And no, I don't mean abstinence. But I do mean going after those pockets within your community which are causing the problems and apply the kind of pressure that only you can apply; and nobody else can.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

4. Anybody That Lets A Stranger Fuck Them Without A Bag Is Crazy

Whether it be a woman or a man....


And getting high on meth and having sex with multiple partners is wack also whether it be a man or a woman...


This has nothing to do with orientation and everything to do with behavior whether you are strg8, bi, or gay...

[Skittles]

5. yup

I have never understood one night stands - exchanging bodily fluids with a stranger? Disgusting. Never been with anyone I did not know very well, thank you very much!

[WillowTree]

6. Hmmmm.....I would probably have phrased it a little more diplomatically...

....but I can't disagree with the sentiment.

When are people of ALL orientations going to learn that this is an almost completely preventable disease and that we are EACH responsible for protecting ourselves?

Geez!!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. I Could Have Been More Elegant In My Phrasing

I read the article in yesterday's New York Times...


Mixing meth which lowers inhibitions with unprotected sex is a recipe for disaster...


If you are not in a monogamous relationship and don't know the HIV status of your partner bag it....

[Ruffhowse]

7. What this post is about is the EXPLOITATION of a dire epidemic for the

accumulation of political power by the Right Wing. That exploitation is a big obstruction to an effective and responsible reaction to the AIDS epidemic. It's like how the Right uses ignorance, fear and prejudice against Blacks, Latinos and Muslims to gather new Right Wing supporters. No one here is trying to make excuses for those who contract AIDS through irresponsible behavior.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. I Read It In The New York Times...

The NYT is the most sensitive major paper in the U S to gay concerns... The publisher, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger has made it a policy of the paper to avoid any kind of homophobia...

[WillowTree]

11. So................

They shouldn't tell people?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. It's Sad...

Meth and unprotected sex don't mix...

[Ruffhowse]

13. Well, there are two ways to deal with this information, responsible and

demagoguery. I believe the Right Wing just loves this kind of stuff and will gleefully blow it up out of all proportion and broadcast it out amongst all the Right Wing spin machine outlets as a way of further fanning the flames of anti-gay feelings in this country. This only works in their favor, as they use a tragic situation to callously pursue a political end. The responsible way to deal with this information is to first verify it (I think the first poster has some legitimate points concerning some of the sources of this story), and then calmly but firmly inform the public of a new and more dangerous strain of AIDS virus. I just hate to see such a tragic situation exploited by the Repukes for purely political gain, but I guess that is to be expected from the likes of them.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

14. Strg8 People And Gay People Need To Be Warned Meth And Unprotected Sex

Don't Mix...


Two things blow me away...


The fact that folks would need such a warning...


And the fact that some folks have unprotected sex with dozens if not hundreds of partners...

[Ruffhowse]

16. Yeah, I understand both Meth and Coke really lower your inhibitions at the

same time that they jazz you up, so that you can really go off the deep end with sexual behavior that is extremely irresponsible and risky. Pretty scary stuff. I stay a million miles away from it.

[Danocrat]

19. Exactly

thank you

[dsc]

8. actually far from being propaganda

This piece actually is responsible. All of the caveats are directly in it. I hope this is a fluke, but fear it isn't. The simple fact is that we gay men are responsible for our own health. No unprotected sex ever unless both people are monogamous and have been recently tested. It is simple as that.

[Stop_the_War]

15. I don't think you'll find many gay or bisexual men who use the drug meth..

Do they realize that most people in the world that are victims of HIV/AIDS are heterosexual?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

17. And Most Meth Users Are Straight....

That's my point....


Drug abuse and unsafe sex are not unique to any community....

[Dear Maggie]

18. What about autoimmune issues?

When I heard the President's State of the Union Address and the focus of help for AIDS sufferers, I was thinking, Well, it's too bad that the focus on help is not towards what 2-butoxyethanol causes - so much cancer and autoimmune issues for so many.

But of course it is not recognized, so it is passed over for other issues, as always.

I suspect it is more what harmed the Vietnam veteran (& I've done some checking) Ailments of the cold war Veteran in Korea - also similar. CFS, CFIDS, 'gulf war syndrome' too

Moms who clean with Scrubbing Bubbles and Lysol Tub 'n Tile and even 409 Cleaner & Simple Green are at risk for harm. Then there are the mechanics, the painters, those in plastics and dry cleaning businesses~ Babies can get it if someone is breathing in their eyes (Check it out)

And so can our leaders, like Hillary and John Ascroft and Wm Rehnquist or Dick Cheney - if with 'flu-like' symptoms they also have other ailments like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, etc. Hmm.... even child leukemia can be part of the picture


Hillary? How is Hillary? - another DU post

I think I'll start a new thread with this topic

[zanana]

20. This is the old 80's argument...

Conservatives then said that gays were responsible for Aids and that it was God's way of letting us know that homosexuality is wrong. Then there would inevitably be a bible quote. It was a popular talking point back then and they really liked to use it, so obviously they're just recycling it.