Quote:
Originally Posted by hoyacoug
"Risky behavior" sounds a whole lot like pointing fingers at the homosexual community. That line simply perpetuates the problem. "I am not sympathetic because they did something risky."
That view is one that reflects a very US centric mindset. The AIDS epidemic is, in fact, related to risky behavior, but, sadly, most of those afflicted with AIDS don't have a clue what causes AIDS or how to avoid it. The majority of AIDS casualties won't be in the US, they will be in Africa where over half of all children are born with AIDS in many nations. Should we feel less "sympathetic" towards them? That class overwhelmingly constitutes the group that will die from AIDS, not the class of those who willfully engage in risky behavior understanding the consequences.
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I don't know why it sounds like pointing the finger at gays to you. That is not what I am doing. Risky behavior is having unprotected sex of any kind and sharing needles.
I also will not be sold on the idea that people in these countries where AIDS is at epidemic levels, particularly in Africa, are just scratching their heads as to how they caught it. As I understand it, they have been told but won't use condoms for cultural reasons (or just don't want to) and many of them refuse to believe that AIDS is caused by risky behavior. Rather, they blame other things such as (surprise!) the United States.
No, these are not irrational children who refuse to take their medicine. They are rational adults who are making bad choices, albeit in mass. I have sympathy for their children and that is why I support efforts to prevent and find a cure. I maintain, however, that homosexuality just isn't that big an issue here. I don't think many any longer just see it as a "gay" disease and even if they did this disease spreads through risky behavior not by unelightened thought process.