Tattoo the Foreheads for HIV Carriers
I have been a slow boil on this, since reading the comment on one of the gay webmaster boards I frequent. One of the more vocal members there beliefs that this whole AIDS / HIV issue is about selfishness, and that it could have been solved 20 years ago. In fact, this great human being believes that there should be mandatory testing of everyone, and that it not be kept in confidence, but that some form of PUBLIC IDENTIFICATION be required. His solution is to TATTOO THE FOREHEAD or something.
The issue arises from the stunning Swiss Report, that says that in some instances, HIV+ men could engage in sex with a non infected person, without protection. Of course that is good news in one sense, and not so good in another. The good news is that it means a drug regime can be effective in preventing the transmission of the virus. It is something science can build on, and hopefully find a cure.
The bad news however, is that many will take that to disregard the content of the report, ignore its strict regiment of what would qualify for someone to have unprotected sex, while being HIV+. It will create a false sense of security, and people will let their guard down, and that could lead to a spurt in infections.
However, all that aside, what has me boiling is how some people still believe in the incarceration or branding of people, to set them aside. Selfishness? No, it isn’t a matter of being selfish, it is a matter of health. Sure their are some who are selfish, but AIDS and its ramifications are far more reaching, than about personal choice. If society cared, if they didn’t judge others, then more would be tested, more would be RESPONSIBLE for their actions, but that is not this world.
This world is about hatred, about prejudices. To even consider ‘branding‘ people who are HIV+ is not only inhuman, but is racist. Nor is it something new either. Many forget when AIDS broke onto the World Stage, how some health officials, and Government Officials, as well as Religious Leaders, considered about QUARANTINING HOMOSEXUALS, in order to PROTECT STRAIGHT SOCIETY. Jerry Falwell was one of those by the way, and there were politicians as well who thought about it.
It isn’t anything new, and if this person had his way, maybe it would have. Though it wouldn’t have been the first time either. It has happened before in society, when Government was given the authority to segregate portions of its citizens, who were believed to be evil, to be a risk to the good of the State. It happened in America with the incarceration of Japanese Americans, but not white Italian Americans, or white German Americans, just the Japanese.
And even at that time, across the ocean it had been happening for many years before the onset of WWII. The Germans were good at ‘branding‘ those who were out of step with their philosophy, or who didn’t fit their ideal of a citizen. There aren’t all that many left today, who could sit down with this person, but then it wouldn’t do him any good. He’d ignore the lessons of history that they could bear witness to, and that perhaps is what frustrates me more.
There are still many who bear Hitler’s scars, the tattoo of numbers on their arms. Many were nothing but babies at the time, yet those numbers are a stark reminder of what happens when people believe that the best way to cure problems, is to BRAND THEM. He seems to ignore that TWELVE MILLION DIED IN CAMPS, not because they were SELFISH, but because the government thought they were bad, a danger to their society.
Many who are HIV+ hide it, not because of being selfish, but from fear of those like this so called webmaster. It is from the fear of what these type of people would do, how they would react. It isn’t from being selfish, just plain old self preservation kicking in. Yes, some are irresponsible, many maybe, but it is because of society, of how they have been raised. Just like this so called ‘webmaster‘.
He may call for the Government to intervene, to brand HIV+ people, but he sure doesn’t like it when someone says he can’t use ‘this word‘ or ‘that word‘ in his gallery descriptions. He rants about them being ‘word Nazis‘ but then, he doesn’t understand what a Nazi is. I suppose he just doesn’t see the Swastika over his forehead, when he looks in the mirror. Strong words but then, sometimes the truth is hard.
Freedom is a precious thing, and yes, I would defend his right to voice it, even though I would spend all my energy to oppose his views. That is the price of Freedom, as it must be for all people, even those we disagree with. In fact, I have defended his right to speak out, as he does, but that is besides the point. What is so scary, is that he is under 30, and appears to be typical of people today. And that is the scary thing.
I am HIV-, and yet I do get regular tests. Each time, my heart stops waiting for the results, even though I KNOW IT WILL BE NEGATIVE. I don’t cheat on the wife, nor he on me, but this is a disease that can lay dormant for untold years. What I may have done a decade or so ago could come back to haunt me today, so my heart pounds each time a test is taken. It isn’t easy, and I do it, but I can understand why so many don’t.
IT IS NOT EASY TO FACE YOUR POSSIBLE MORTALITY.
Yes, there are drugs today that help keep you alive. Expensive drugs and regimes, and some are fortunate enough to be able to afford them. Other’s aren’t so lucky, FIFTY MILLION AMERICANS HAVE NO HEALTH INSURANCE, let alone have coverage if they are diagnosed with HIV. Is it selfish to not get tested? No, it is fear, and ‘branding‘ them isn’t a solution. That is for the Nazis, not for FREE PEOPLE.
