A smiling Magic Johnson

[Dondilion]

The article below deals with the surprising outbreak of HIV infection in rural Austin, Indiana. However I was struck by its reference to the import of a "smiling Magic Johnson".

http://america.aljazeera.com/article...n-indiana.html

[Ike Bana]

How quickly Americans forget. Americans forget all sorts of inconvenient and troubling stuff that might muck up their daily mindless quality of life.

[Dondilion]

Originally Posted by Ike Bana

How quickly Americans forget. Americans forget all sorts of inconvenient and troubling stuff that might muck up their daily mindless quality of life.

I believe we have become too comfortable with HIV/AIDS. We have been lulled by the results from the cocktail of drugs.

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by Dondilion

I believe we have become too comfortable with HIV/AIDS. We have been lulled by the results from the cocktail of drugs.

Do most Americans have a family member or even a friend with HIV? Not to mention ever lost anybody to AIDS? Lulled by the cocktail, eh? Reckon how many have a clue as to what it's actually like to live with HIV? The miserable cocktail side effects. The prospect of the rest of your life never having sex without a condom with anybody but your hand?

We're Americans, we got complacent built in.

[Dondilion]

Originally Posted by Ike Bana

Do most Americans have a family member or even a friend with HIV? Not to mention ever lost anybody to AIDS? Lulled by the cocktail, eh? Reckon how many have a clue as to what it's actually like to live with HIV? The miserable cocktail side effects. The prospect of the rest of your life never having sex without a condom with anybody but your hand?

We're Americans, we got complacent built in.

I have seen Aids close up having lived in a large urban center for so long. I have lost close friends to the disease...some beautiful people. One was I believed one of the kindest person ever lived on this earth.

The rampage at the time really rocked me.

The prevalent image of a smiling Magic Johnson has added to our increasing lack of urgency regarding this disease.

BTW I noticed Indiana has extended its Sate of Emergency.

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by Dondilion

I have seen Aids close up having lived in a large urban center for so long. I have lost close friends to the disease...some beautiful people. One was I believed one of the kindest person ever lived on this earth.

The rampage at the time really rocked me.

The prevalent image of a smiling Magic Johnson has added to our increasing lack of urgency regarding this disease.

BTW I noticed Indiana has extended its Sate of Emergency.

We haven't lost any family to AIDS, but we have lost a couple of good friends, and a long time next door neighbor in suburban Chicago. A few dealing with the cocktail, and we both have had a couple of clients with HIV.

Indiana...our place is up in the northwest corner, tucked in up against the South Shore. Close to half of the members of the resident's association board of out little town are gay. It's a patch of blue in a sea of red.

[Dondilion]

Originally Posted by Ike Bana

We haven't lost any family to AIDS, but we have lost a couple of good friends, and a long time next door neighbor in suburban Chicago. A few dealing with the cocktail, and we both have had a couple of clients with HIV.

Indiana...our place is up in the northwest corner, tucked in up against the South Shore. Close to half of the members of the resident's association board of out little town are gay. It's a patch of blue in a sea of red.

In the central Flatbush section of Brooklyn I remember during the dark days going into an apartment building with many of its occupants showing signs of AIDS. The super had AIDS.

Now the area is being gentrified. But I believe it is a calm before the storm. I just cannot shake this feeling that the disease is mutating...gone underground to re-emerge in a more vicious form.

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by Dondilion

In the central Flatbush section of Brooklyn I remember during the dark days going into an apartment building with many of its occupants showing signs of AIDS. The super had AIDS.

Now the area is now being gentrified. But I believe it is a calm before the storm. I just cannot shake this feeling that the disease is mutating...gone underground to re-emerge in a more vicious form.

Viruses are almost as good at that as humans.