1 December is World AIDS Day. You remember AIDS? That syndrome that results in people being buried alive in PNG, has left an entire generation in sub-Saharan Africa to raise themselves, and is about to devastate the populations of South East Asia, the Pacific, former Eastern Bloc countries.... Yeah, that one. It's not as sexy a subject as it once was.As good a time as any to reflect upon the genocide that Thabo Mbeki enacted (or is that "inacted") upon the people with whose welfare he was entrusted. I don't think "genocide" is overstating is,either. Please excuse my ineloquence, but what a fucking prat. That he hasn't been condemned with the same venom as Milosovic is astonishing. Perhaps it's because they're only poor black people. Is it bad of me to wish AIDS denialists infected?
It's a small gesture, but this World AIDS Day buy a red ribbon and wear it. Tell people what it is. Tell them you're wearing it because HIV can affect anyone, and you don't discriminate against anyone who has it because only an idiot would. People living with HIV have enough crap to deal with; please do your little bit to ensure that mindless ignorance is not added to their burdens.
Thanks to Larvatus Prodeo for the link to the NY Times article
AIDS Trust of Australia
Queensland Positive People
World AIDS Day Australia
UN AIDS
1 comment:
Thanks for this. I always buy a red ribbon, and think of people I've known who've been affected, and some who have died from it. But this post is a reminder that AIDS is not just in our backyard, in fact, we're in a privileged place, with access to information, condoms, and anti-retroviral medication.
It's the countries you mentioned that really need our support.
Which reminds me, where does the red ribbon money go?
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