Why Slumberland is gray today
Today Slumberland’s default style is gray (you might not see this if you already chose a different theme for the page). This is to mark World AIDS Day. Along with many other sites, we are participating in Link and Think, and posting AIDS-related material for the day.
I think many of us tend to downplay the impact of AIDS these days. New medication means that we aren’t seeing as many people around us die (I remember in the late 1980s when the obituary pages were full of listings of gay men in their 30s and 40s. It really was overwhelming). But they are still being infected. This P-I editorial tells the sad truth — worldwide AIDS infections and deaths have reached an all-time high. The epidemic may have slowed in the United States, but it is far from over, and right now, it looks like things could get worse before they get better. A cure must be found.
I kinda think a ‘cure’ for AIDS has already been found – ‘Education’…
…I hope that doesn’t sound flipant or snide, but I do believe it…Education is the key to beating AIDS in a greater sense than any drug based remedy that could be found. Epecially in Africa, where any Western drugs would undoubtedly be outside the reach or affordability of the vast number of it’s population…
Equality and ‘fair disemination’ of knowledge is the only real safe guard to the eradication of AIDS or future viral epiemics…I cannot help but think that the SARS situation is a case in point – where the Chinese government withheld knowledge of teh seriousness of the situation from both it’s population and the World Health Authority…And as a result the virus spread unchecked across the globe.
While others may hang on for some ‘miricle cure’ – I just hope that we will see more openness of government in it’s willingness to share information, and fund more educational initiatives both at home and abroad.
i totally agree with the thought behind beaty’s message. however, it would be wonderful if all of the 40 million [according to the ] folks currently infected with the virus were cured of hiv and did not have to worry about un/affordable healthcare, any stigma attached their status, and the possibility of death by full-blown aids. i do not want to lose one more friend or acquaintance to this epidemic.
strong words there maybe, but i truly do not disagree with beaty here. i just think that education is only 99% of the solution.
sorry. that was supposed to read: …40 million [according to the UN AIDS epidemic update – December] folks currently infected…
Education is important but it is not enough. Even in Western countries that have made a real effort to educate there are still many many infections every year. More education is a good thing but a cure is still of utmost importance.