Stephen,

>Doug,
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>< ?? Do you mean communicable as in airborne? I have to chuckle a little here.. When I was a small lad we were essentially told ..ehrr.. exagerated stories on how STDs (known then as clap and so forth) were transmitted. In my case it worked. <g> />
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>Yes. If it was airborne we’d all have it. However it is spread through sex, syringe, and blood products.

Well, I was kidding a little about the airborne stuff. You essentially mirrored my 3 points with your answer.

Now.. Did I get the order correct from your research? I think I did in that sexual behavior (misbehavior really) is the prime cause for the transmission of many STDs.


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>< What specific behaviors would you puts here? I have what I think (may be incorrect are the top />
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>By behaviors I meant actions. Currently, In America, gay men are spreading it in a variety ways. One is due to being stupid because of liquor or drugs. In Africa, a large part of the problem is the lack of respect for women. Men see no need and indeed refuse to use any protection. And women don’t ask. And who suffers. Entire families, entire towns have disappeared because of a stupid cling to taboo and tradition.

Sure.. In other cultures like Africa there are social and cultural mores that essentially require that men put themselves at risk knowingly. In my mind that has to be the absolute height of foolishness and stupidity. Still, it is what it is.

Here in AMerica I must admit that I have a harder time. Here's why... So many of those who behave in what we call 'risky behavior' (something of a euphemism I suppose) do so knowingly, just as the man in the African culture does. Now, correct me if you think I;m wrong but when you boil all this down isn't this essentially placing a higher priority upon sexual gratification than on the value of life? IOW, aren't those who behave this way, and who do so knowingly (most? Some? ??) essentially stating that they'd rather have the pleasure of sex more than the pain of death - or at least they're willing to take the risk.

IMO I think that's really stupid and shortsighted.

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>< By their words or behavior?. />
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>Both.

Hmm.. Ok..

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>< Here we'd disagree I suppose. Is it ok for me to think that this behavior is indeed immoral and so state on one hand and on the other to continue to treat those who disagree with me with the kinds of common courtesies everyone should enjoy? Should I first give this behavior and then be correct in my assumption that I should receive it in return? Or... Has this issue become so charged that people aren't able to be civil anymore? I see uncivil behavior on all sides but I maintain that each should be free to hold their own opinion(s). />
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>You are free to think what you want and treat people how you wish. Only you will reap the rewards or suffer the consequences of your actions.

Sure.. Kind of like the person who contracts AIDS who knowingly engaged in the risky behavior.

Now.. Should I feel compassion for someone like this? Pity perhaps. Compassion.. Sure, in that they've now contracted a fatal disease. Sorry for them. Not really though I'm sorry they have to learn the great lesson of consequences in this manner - sure. They knew what they were doing and IMO they can't have it both ways. Consequences? A tough way to learn this truth I'd think but at some point I'm going to ask that those who caused this effect accept the cause - their own behavior. I am not responsible for this behavior; they are and that's all I ask.

> This issue has become charged on all sides. But, let’s hope cooler heads will prevail and realized that ADIS/HIV is a disease not a disgrace and the way we treat people with the disease or any disease causes it to become a social problem. People are suffering. Not just from AIDS, but from Cancer, Hep C. TB, poverty and a host of other problems. We can only do so much to cure disease. Once we find a cure there is always another illness which pops up and becomes the next great pandemic. But, poverty we can all help. And we don’t. Compassion we can and should have but some of us (not all) are too worried about our own lives that we tune out what is really going on.

You know.. As a Christian I am so very often embarrassed by many of my contemporaries who so often forget that those who contract these diseases are individuals who, according to the Historic Christian position, are also created in God's image. I don't recall Mother Theresa asking any of those she took care of to become believers first and Jesus Himself touched the leper healing him, which if you know anything about Jewish law was forbidden, made everyone ceremoniously unclean and so forth. I see a lot of my contemporaries who are unwilling to 'touch' those who by all accounts are the equivilent of the leper of Biblical times; the individual with AIDS. Agree with the lifestyle that most likely caused this disease? No. No way. Love those who so do anyway? Yes, it's what we should do IMO.

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>< What would really work with respect to actually changing behaviors of various people do you think? />
>Education. Truthful education started at an early age.

Including abstinence?


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>So I’ll jump off my soap box now. Actually I am impressed with everyone around here. At the UT I am surrounded by a group of people that actually look past their front yards. :)

Well, I've certainly added my part to this. I too hope cooler heads will prevail though I'm not sure that they always will. What I like about this crowd is that they (ahem.. we <g>) are all opinionated as aitch-ee-double-hockey-sticks. <g> As long as we all respect each other's pov and don't insist on stifling anyone's ability to say what they will that's cool. ALso, since Michel owns this joint we should all follow thw rules he's set up too and keep these kinds of discussions solely in Chatter and when we get ..err.. 'lively' let's move the the actual Chatter Section.


THanks for your thoughts. I need to hear them.