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 What is so special about AIDS? Now, before somebody goes ballistic over how "uncaring" that question might sound, take a moment to examine it. AIDS is not the most
common disease in the world, it is not the easiest to contract, it is nowhere
near the leading single cause of death, nor is it the foremost
sexually-transmitted disease. It is not the only disease that is almost always
fatal, it is not the one with the most brutal symptoms, and is certainly not the
only one that can be contracted by an "innocent" victim.Therefore, I ask
again -- what is so special about AIDS? I think that the answer is pretty
clear. It is a disease that primarily affects members of a very vocal and
well-funded special-interest group and is largely associated with the sexual
activities that are most prevalent among members of that group -- homosexual
men.Every year, more
people die of cancer than the sum total of those who have ever died from AIDS.
Yet, the efforts of the aforementioned group have succeeded in getting more
money spent per year on AIDS research than on cancer research. Does that make
any sense? People are encouraged to observe "World AIDS Day" and the AIDS quilt
travels all over creation. I wonder how many of the people who make a great hue
and cry at these events have lost loved ones to cancer? Why aren't they
promoting "World Cancer Day" or stitching together a Cancer Quilt?The promoters of
"AIDS Awareness" always speak of the disease as an "epidemic". This would seem,
at best, to be rather exaggerated. The number of cases certainly doesn't
warrant that tag, nor does the realization that the primary causes of the spread
of AIDS are voluntary actions undertaken in the name of "lifestyle choices". It
has been shown that a significant percentage of the group most likely at risk
for contracting AIDS will not take even cursory measures to try to protect
themselves. Yet, they feel justified in lobbying the government to throw even
more money into "finding a cure". Maybe part of this is the classic liberal
"reasoning" that says that you can go ahead and do whatever you want and the
government will be there to "fix it" when things go wrong.Nobody deserves to be
stricken with AIDS (or any other debilitating disease). But, let's face it,
refusing to protect yourself and then blaming the government after you contract
AIDS is about as ridiculous as smoking all your life and then suing a tobacco
company after you get lung cancer. As with all things in life, if you choose to
take the risks, you must accept the possible consequences.So, what's so special
about AIDS? The only honest, objective answer would seem to be -- nothing.E-mail: mlbakke1@earthlink.net Earthlink Network Home Page |