AIDS awareness

[Walsingham]

We often talk about crises on these forums. For example we've just been discussing Israel-Palestine.

 

I'd like to draw your attention to the crisi in HIV/AIDS in South Africa, and southern africa generally. One in ten South Africans have HIV. That means 5.7 million people. Perhaps 1,000 people die PER DAY from AIDS related causes.

 

Friends of our family who work for charities in South Africa suggest the infection rate could be 40% or higher in some places.

 

I'm not saying there's a solution I have in mind. But a tragedy such as this deserves witnesses if nothing else.

 

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2...2180763259.html

[Lare Kikkeli]

HIV/AIDS might actually be the end of us. It's steadily spreading throughout the world and while we have drugs that make it non-lethal or at least prolong death a vaccine is nowhere in sight.

 

It's actually pretty interesting how William Gibson wrote in one of his books (one of the Bridge Trilogy books, I forget which) that the cure to HIV will come from an inflicted who has natural protection against AIDS despite getting the virus. There are in fact many people like this and scientists are studying why HIV doesn't turn into AIDS in their care. Maybe in the future we'll be getting HIV shots that protect from the lethal versions of the virus?

[Rosbjerg]

HIV/AIDS might actually be the end of us.

 

No, it's highly unlikely that any STD will ever destroy the human race. First off, because the actual spreading requires sexual contact and especially since we have quite efficient methods like condoms to prevent the spreading. If AIDS got out of hands it would be quite easy to simply make all future children in a lab as well.

[kirottu]

condoms

 

The Pope.

[Rosbjerg]

Well if you think every catholic adheres to his commands then there won't be a problem either.. Seeing as adultery and sex before marriage are quite sinful and the only way for a virgin to have AIDS is if their mother had it as they were conceived.

[lord of flies]

condoms

 

The Pope.

Like many people in the world, I do not follow your backwards pope.

 

The problem is that the first world is using AIDS as a kind of biological weapon against the third world, as well as a way to improve their self-righteous imperialist savior complex. Newsflash: Uganda has managed to stamp out AIDS all on its lonesome, and is a pillar to the African community. AIDS is virulent and deadly without treatment, and the first-world is not readily supplying treatment.

[Lare Kikkeli]

HIV/AIDS might actually be the end of us.

 

No, it's highly unlikely that any STD will ever destroy the human race. First off, because the actual spreading requires sexual contact and especially since we have quite efficient methods like condoms to prevent the spreading. If AIDS got out of hands it would be quite easy to simply make all future children in a lab as well.

 

HIV isn't just an STD since it spreads via blood contact as well, and the fact that it's usually symptomless for a long time so carriers can infect other people without knowing it makes it a lot more dangerous than other STD's. I don't really think any one disease could do us in, but HIV hs been going strong for decades and hasn't shown any signs of slowing down yet. Worst case scenario? A lot of 3rd world people die.

Edited December 1, 2009 by Lare Kikkeli

[Hurlshort]

As Lare said, it is spread by blood, not just sex.

 

But it is not nearly as fatal as it used to be in developed nations, the treatments are fairly advanced and people are able to live fairly normal lives with it today. That is great, but there is an unfortunate side to that in the lack of exposure it receives, which is important for raising money and awareness.

[Deadly_Nightshade]

HIV isn't just an STD since it spreads via blood contact as well...

 

Both yes and no. The AIDS/HIV virus is extremely hard to transmit via blood - in fact one could hold infected material in the palm of one's hand and not be infected (barring a cut or other puncture in the skin).

[Lare Kikkeli]

HIV isn't just an STD since it spreads via blood contact as well...

 

Both yes and no. The AIDS/HIV virus is extremely hard to transmit via blood - in fact one could hold infected material in the palm of one's hand and not be infected (barring a cut or other puncture in the skin).

 

I meant blood on blood. It'sa risk since most people have tiny cuts on their hands all the time (I know I do). Then again I don't think I've ever met anyone with HIV or AIDS.

[Walsingham]

I do think that abstinence programs are completely retarded.

[GreasyDogMeat]

Have some serious ignorance problems in South Africa. Its still widely a widely held belief that raping a young virgin will cure aids... hence the ridiculous numbers.

 

Nasty stuff.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/06/04/cnnhe...koni/index.html

[Fenghuang]

HIV/AIDS might actually be the end of us. It's steadily spreading throughout the world and while we have drugs that make it non-lethal or at least prolong death a vaccine is nowhere in sight.

 

It's actually pretty interesting how William Gibson wrote in one of his books (one of the Bridge Trilogy books, I forget which) that the cure to HIV will come from an inflicted who has natural protection against AIDS despite getting the virus. There are in fact many people like this and scientists are studying why HIV doesn't turn into AIDS in their care. Maybe in the future we'll be getting HIV shots that protect from the lethal versions of the virus?

 

 

Actually they have cured HIV in at least one person.

 

Unfortunately since it relies on bone marrow transplants from carriers of a gene that are predominantly (exclusively?) white it won't work so well in Africa.

 

Sorry Africa!

[Walsingham]

The problem is that the first world is using AIDS as a kind of biological weapon against the third world, as well as a way to improve their self-righteous imperialist savior complex. Newsflash: Uganda has managed to stamp out AIDS all on its lonesome, and is a pillar to the African community. AIDS is virulent and deadly without treatment, and the first-world is not readily supplying treatment.

 

You are completely insane. There. I said it. A biological weapon?

[theslug]

condoms

 

The Pope.

Like many people in the world, I do not follow your backwards pope.

 

The problem is that the first world is using AIDS as a kind of biological weapon against the third world, as well as a way to improve their self-righteous imperialist savior complex. Newsflash: Uganda has managed to stamp out AIDS all on its lonesome, and is a pillar to the African community. AIDS is virulent and deadly without treatment, and the first-world is not readily supplying treatment.

Sounds like our plans are going along quite swimmingly then. Thanks for the update. White power, etc.

[Hiro Protagonist]

HIV/AIDS might actually be the end of us.

 

Despite this, humans breed faster than the virus can kill. Perhaps it could be a final solution for Africa, when the virus kills everyone, the West can go in and fix the place up and run it properly.

[alanschu]

That rape myth is appalling

[Deadly_Nightshade]

That rape myth is appalling

 

That it is.

[lord of flies]

You are completely insane. There. I said it. A biological weapon?

Malaria too. They didn't make these things, they just profit from them. Both these diseases are hardly fatal for someone lucky enough to be born white, yet despite the fact that they could fix this, the first world twiddles its thumbs.

 

Do you think we in the first world are left to want for money? Do you think that nobody could spare some cash for this enterprise? Do you think that the US could not single-handedly carve these diseases into the dust if it dropped its rampant, pointless aggression and moved its military budget into aid?

 

And yet.

[Zoraptor]

Well if you think every catholic adheres to his commands then there won't be a problem either.. Seeing as adultery and sex before marriage are quite sinful and the only way for a virgin to have AIDS is if their mother had it as they were conceived.

An HIV positive mother has HIV negative children- in the vast majority of cases HIV is transmitted during and after birth rather than in the womb. This is particularly tragic because you can actually stop 99.9% of mother-child transmissions very cheaply and very easily.

[theslug]

Both these diseases are hardly fatal for someone lucky enough to be born white

Can't help genetic superiority. WHite power, etc.

 

btw this my anti trolling trolling approach.

[Walsingham]

You are completely insane. There. I said it. A biological weapon?

Malaria too. They didn't make these things, they just profit from them. Both these diseases are hardly fatal for someone lucky enough to be born white, yet despite the fact that they could fix this, the first world twiddles its thumbs.

 

Do you think we in the first world are left to want for money? Do you think that nobody could spare some cash for this enterprise? Do you think that the US could not single-handedly carve these diseases into the dust if it dropped its rampant, pointless aggression and moved its military budget into aid?

 

And yet.

 

Yes... poor helpless brown people. Their only hope is that the big strong white man intervenes. You're making me feel ill. I thought _I_ was supposed to be the neocolonialist. Has your wallchart fallen down or something? Get your arse out to Africa and actually LOOK at what is happening. Maybe expose some of your cosy Bolshevist theories to the real world.