Remembering
The world is remembering that AIDS is a killer, and it is not going away. In fact, some studies are showing that perhaps AIDS and HIV are on the rise as people become complacent. Another cause too is the growing lack of understanding. You would think that after 25 years leaders would understand that to simply ignore this disease puts everyone at risk. It also increases an already heavily burdened health care system under immense strain.
Whether you have National Health or not, the cost to all taxpayers exists because the so called Religious Right deem this illness to be a moral issue. One many conservatives like Bush embrace and so as a result, we fail the next generation in not just teaching them math skills, but in teaching them how to survive diseases like HIV and AIDS. By making ‘abstinence’ the only proper sex education tactic, we ignore the reality of life. Kids are becoming more active sexually at an earlier age.
Despite the concerns some parents have about their middle school child being taught about sexually transmitted diseases and safe sex practices, Harmon said it’s necessary because children are becoming sexually active at younger ages. (full story)
As we mark this day, maybe we should do more than Light A Candle or even Make A Donation to the National AIDS Fund. Maybe, we should start listening to what we know is right. Perhaps we can start with ourselves even. Maybe instead of using lame excuses that condoms don’t feel right, we should embrace them until a 100% safe method is found. Instead of hiding, we should go out and be TESTED to make sure we aren’t passing this disease on to our sex partners.
Sure we can’t be held accountable for what others do. However, we can and should be held accountable for what we do. So yes it means we go get a jab by some needle every six months and we wait nervously for the results. Still, it is better to know than not. Least with all the advances in medical science being diagonosed with HIV isn’t as it used to be. We can still lead normal and productive lives, if we choose. But only if WE KNOW!
Tags: abstinence, AIDS, disease, education, illness, killer, needle, Religious, teaching, TESTED, understanding
