“The Senate is near to pass ng a massive $50 billion Emergency Plan for HIV/ AIDS Relief – a bill whose priorities are based on myth, just like virtually all anti-AIDS efforts worldwide…” Thus begins Michael Fumento’s sickening op-ed on how our government’s “wasting” money on HIV/AIDS, because straight white Americans aren’t the most at-risk. And since the lives of blacks, Africans, gays, Asians and the rest of the gang don’t matter, Congress should curtail this “abominable unfairness.” Fermento’s so sick, even Jesus is flipping him off. [NY Post]
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mark
Jesus and I are both flipping Fumento off. Mr.Fumento,
karma is a real harsh system, and you are bringing yourself and your loved ones 10 lifetimes of tragedy
CHURCHILL-Y
“Unlikely heterosexual epidemic”
Has he heard anything about Africa and China.
Deletionist Moron.
levoiceotruth
why arent more people of younger generations in office yet? i bet any young, educated, tolerant individual of this generation would do everything 100 time better than everyone in office today. So basically we have to wait till these idiots die. In the mean time, protest against these idiots. and that is why Jesus is on our side.
greybat
Younger neocons are actually meaner and more devoid of conscience than their elders. And even more desperate for the paycheck.
What can you expect of a cult that uses myth to gain power over information, and regards people as collateral?
dizzyspins
I read Fumento’s piece when it came out, and while he’s obviously a douche-y homophobe, he did raise a salient point:
Mainstream America got involved in the fight against AIDS because they were told there would be an outbreak in the heterosexual population in the U.S. Not that it would spread among hetero i.v.-drug users, but that it would hit Joe and Jane Sixpack. I remember the covers of Newsweek and the TV movies heralding as much–acting like little Suzie would get AIDS by losing her virginity at the prom.
It is also true that given how many people it affects and the treatments currently available, AIDS research receives massively more funding than other diseases that infect or kill more people in this country.
Personally, I dont really care that we scared straight America with the specter of AIDS. They wouldnt have given a shit about us, and the disease ravaging our community otherwise.
But to keep up the pretense that AIDS is an equal-opportunity disease keeps resources away from the specific groups that truly need it.
TJ in the West
I agree with Dizzyspins. As an HIV prevention worker for several years, it was greatly disappointing to see my associates promoting HIV testing for all – including all heterosexuals. While this effort keeps HIV/AIDS in the news, it is a tremendous waste of money. (It is also stunningly ineffective and wasteful to spend HIV prevention dollars on abstinence programs – especially for teens, gay or straight.)
Prevention dollars should go to programs continuing to target gay and bi men, and specifically men who have sex with men who do not identify as gay or bi. Wear a condom. Wear a condom. Wear a condom.
HIV disproportionately affects African American and Latino men primarily because many fall into this later category. If you’re on the down low, how do explain to your straight female partner the need to use a condom. There is still more shame associated with man on man sex (especially anal sex) than with giving your straight partner a life threatening disease. All efforts to prevent HIV transmission to the straight world will fail until this is acknowledged.