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Subject: 
Re: Why is AIDS such a big deal?
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Fri, 5 May 2000 23:33:40 GMT
Viewed: 
296 times
  
Thanks for the note.

In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Ed Jones writes:
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Christopher L. Weeks writes:

Why is AIDS such a big deal?

Why is AIDS such a big deal:

1. Because it is a huge blemish on the US government for their lack of early
funding for research.

I agree that the government's bizarre inaction is a cause for concern, but I
don't see the link between that occurance ~15 years ago and the current
over-representation in the media.

2. Because a disease mobilized a "special interest group" to take action to
defend their own lives.

And they did a good job of protecting their special interest.  But again, I
don't see the link.

3. Because a "special interest group" brought chnage to the FDA.

Great.  And almost any change to the FDA would be good.

I could go on.  But unless you lived through the AIDs 80s, you really don't
understand the battles that had to take place to survive.

By "lived through" do mean been gay and thus at-risk through that time?  Or do
you just mean generally aware?  I was in high school from '84-'88 and I
remember it becomming a national concern, but I also seem to remember it being
on the news at least as early as '82 or so.  A very close friend of mine is
touched by this issue and has read some passages from _And the Band Played On_
to me.  Is that book generally considered valid?  I've sort-of been meaning to
read it for about six years.

Basically, I agree with your points and I acknowledge that especially to the
growing number of people personally impacted by HIV it's a terrible social
concern.  But I guess I also tend to agree with the "other side" that says that
(public) funding should be roughly matching of the severity of the issue.

I may be biased too.  I am much more likely to bite it from cancer than from
AIDS.

Chris



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: Why is AIDS such a big deal?
 
(...) Its very simple: AIDS is a communicable disease, a plague that spread exponentially in the late 70s and early 80s, and continues to do so in Africa. If the US Government had funded AIDS research, or even AIDS education, in the early 80s, far (...) (24 years ago, 6-May-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Why is AIDS such a big deal?
 
(...) Geez Larry, instead of answering the question, your first thought is to relish the debate. (...) it (...) Special Interest groups huh. Need I remind anyone reading this that until "certain special interest groups" fought, protested, and (...) (24 years ago, 2-May-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)  

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