When will they learn??

A lot of money could be saved if people changed their behavior in a variety of ways without this alarming hatred that's dripping in here. Heart attack victims could eat better and exercise more often, same with sufferers of diabetes and high blood pressure, smokers can freakin stop smoking, drunks can stop driving, idiots can stop insurance fraud, Presidents could stop fighting stupid wars... oops.

 

I think you're being idealistic. what's to prevent say a prospective landlord from saying "show me your butt cheek before I let you rent this apartment"?

What about doctor-patient confidentiality? people are already refusing to get tested for fear of losing health insurance if they turn out positive, this would make people even less inclined to get tested. unless you do mandatory testing for everyone every 6 months your identification plan is useless.

 

And blaming someone with AIDS does what good? It helps in what way? It could make a sick, and possibly dying person feel worse. Sometimes a person with AIDS made a mistake.

Compassion shouldn't stop at people's mistakes, it should begin there. I think everybody on this board has made mistakes. We've all done dumb things. Some mistakes seemingly have no consequences while others have dire consequences. I think it's pretty gutless and heartless to ridicule those who's mistakes have dire consequences, especially when that person may be dying.

I don't like the philosophy of people who like to 'kick 'em when they're down'.

I'm not saying we should put the responsibility anywhere else in cases where people were careless. But blaming and shaming, doesn't solve the problem.

 

Well Iraqi Freedom is supposedly about compassion or sympathy the suffering of the Iraqi people. How much will it cost American taxpayers to give them their freedom? ~$100 billion? It's mighty easy to be compassionate with other peoples' money.

You make think you are safe from HIV but know that freak accidents do happen. You could step on a hypodermic needle at the beach or something similar.

Those that get the disease aren't the only ones who suffer, their loved ones do too. You and your wife may be "safe" but what will you tell your friend or relative who one day tells you he is HIV positive? "Tough break but it's your own fault"? Hopefully you will never have to experience that but if we do nothing then more than likely you will know someone with this disease in your lifetime.

Also note that sometimes safer sex isn't 100% fool proof. Condoms break or leak. I knew a straight guy in college who thought sheepskin condoms prevented HIV and I had to tell him that they don't. Good intentions sometimes aren't enough.

Anyway, bama, what is your solution to the problem? Just let people die. You honestly think the government has no vested interest in stopping this plague? Do you want your kids to grow up having to worry about it the way our generation has?

 

I am baffled by the number of people on this bbs who seem to be completely lacking of empathy.

I feel for them.

 

I think it's funny that so many people accuse me of "hatred" just because I don't support govt. funding to find a cure for this disease. Like I said before, to liberals, compassion= money. And as I said before, it's mighty easy to be compassionate with other people's money. I'm not saying that these companies working to find a cure should stop their work at all. The govt should not fund research into combatting AIDS or any other disease, period.

And I agree that those who can't eat right and eat three packs of Marlboro reds should pay for their behavior as well. It's funny you people never want folks to change their behavior. Your attitude is.......keep being promiscuous, keep shooting up with dirty needles, don't worry about condoms, because we will use the govt to find a cure to keep you from paying the price for your stupidity. Let the free market handle it. I disagree with Outlaw's statement that the gay community is not wealthy. Per capita, homosexuals are among the wealthiest folks in this country. It would be in the best interests of drug companies to follow the money.

 

Show me one person on this board who has said these things besides you.

Link please.

 

you really believe that?? you really think that's the way to go??

man...i don't want to hear from any of you liberal freaks (i'm joking..calm down ) on this board that I'm a conservative ever again!!! i feel like freaking michael dukakis right now.

 

I'm going with Chris Rock on this one. I remember he said something like the government has the cure for AIDS but just won't release because of the money generated from the disease. He was saying it in one of his stand ups and was using it to be funny but I believe there is some validity in that statement.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-07-28-poll_x.htm
Poll shows backlash on gay issues
By Susan Page, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Americans have become significantly less accepting of homosexuality since a Supreme Court decision that was hailed as clearing the way for new gay civil rights, a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll has found. After several years of growing tolerance, the survey shows a return to a level of more traditional attitudes last seen in the mid-1990s.
Asked whether same-sex relations between consenting adults should be legal, 48% said yes; 46% said no. Before this month, support hadn't been that low since 1996. (Related item: See poll numbers)

In early May, support for legal relations reached a high of 60%-35%.

The shift in attitudes occurs as gay issues have been in the news. In recent weeks, the Supreme Court struck down a Texas anti-sodomy law, a Canadian court decision allowed gay couples to marry in Ontario, and Wal-Mart expanded anti-discrimination protection to gay workers.

Conservative social activists see a backlash to those developments and the growing visibility of gay characters in entertainment, including such TV shows as Will & Grace. "The more that the movement demands the endorsement of the law and the culture, the more resistance there will be," says Gary Bauer, president of American Values.

Bauer says that sentiment will make it harder for elected officials to avoid taking positions on such questions as a proposed constitutional amendment that would bar marriage of gay couples.

Advocates for gay men and lesbians called the poll disappointing. "Clearly, the debate (over recent developments) has had an effect," says David Smith of the Human Rights Campaign. But over time, he says, "The country always ends up on the side of fairness, and I think they will here, too."

Those making the biggest shifts included African-Americans. On whether homosexual relations should be legal, their support fell from 58% in May to 36% in July. Among people who attend church almost every week, support fell from 61% to 49%.

The survey also found rising opposition to civil unions that would give gay couples some of the rights of married heterosexuals. They were opposed 57%-40%, the most opposition since the question was first asked in 2000.

By 49%-46%, those polled said homosexuality should not be considered "an acceptable alternative lifestyle." It was the first time since 1997 that more people expressed opposition than support.

 

I applaud your comments JohnHeath!!

My God. The HORROR! People will actually have to PAY financially for their actions in life. How terrible! If you smoke a pack a day, eat 2 for 2 Big Mac's daily and have unprotected anal intercourse then go for it. Just don't expect everyone else to pick up the tab.

How unfair that individuals must pay for their costs.

 

if healthcare goes then i want to take out publicly funded schooling as well. i don't see why i should have to pay for your kids to get an education. if you have 10 kids then you should pay for it completely out of your own pocket.

you support Bush and his pledge to help Africa's AIDS crisis but don't give a damn about your own fellow Americans. Tell me how the two situations are so different. AIDS isn't exactly a new thing there you know and they're not the ignorant savages you seem to think they are. The only difference is that here it's (for now) primarily a gay disease and there it is primarily a straight one.

 

well I'll agree that if you eat 3 packs of cigarettes you deserve what you get

actually i wish that were true but it's not.
where's all the gay millionaires besides David Geffen?

 

Well, outlaw, there's Tom Cruise. That's two right there.

 

Three.

 

i almost agree with the identifying mark thing. i know it sounds like hate mongering and whatever, but i almost wish it could be done. kind of like how i wish it were legal to kill a man who raped a woman or molested a child. i've been around a lot of gay people and i know that for the most part gay men are whores kind of like how most men are whores, it's kind of doubled when you have 2 willing parties. anyhow...my girlfriend's friend's mom more than likely has HIV from the guy she was with for 6 months because he didn't tell her he had the bug. one of my other girlfriend's friends screws whoever and pretty much has the attitude that people who don't use condoms with him deserve to get infected since he has HIV. he got it when he was raped when he was 15 years old by someone who was infected . that guy was with someone else for a few months who i consider a friend now and didn't tell him that he was infected. it took a huge scene where my girlfriend had to tell him for it to come out. it's pretty messed up...no one else would say anything and my gf was the first of his friends to say something to him. luckily he doesn't have HIV from that relationship. there people who have the bug go to clubs and don't tell people. it's pretty f--ked up. it freaked me out too when i first started learning about this crap. sorry, but the stereotypes about gay men being irresposible when it comes to safe sex are pretty true for the most part from everything i've learned from being around them.

but heath...your comment that people with AIDS should be blamed is pretty stupid. wake up man...you are an ignorant a--hole. i bolded the parts for you so they might stand out for you.

 

dude...did you even read my freaking comparison? i said i wish we could do that kind of like i wish we could kill child molesters and rapists. also, did i say gay men? are you blind? i said people with HIV/AIDS so they don't go around infecting other people and not caring about other people if they get infected.

 

That's actually a pretty interesting theory.