[Spam] [Vision2020] HIV/AIDS

Tue Dec 13 11:33:02 PST 2005

Wayne - thank you for the very kind words. 

Maybe this email will make it to Nathan Alford's desk and he WILL DO
SOMETHING about EDUCATING the public. A simple write up (just like what you
offered here) about aids would be great! A simple column of what the health
department does regarding testing and why. A notice of where you can go and
get more information would be nice. Speaking of which, we have asked the
health department for all their pamphlets and we would like to have our
staff put a condom and a pamphlet in every persons hand that enters CJ's. I
can only hope other establishmnets will join CJ's in this effort to educate
these kids.

-------Original Message-------

From: Art Deco
Date: 12/13/05 11:01:44
To: Vision 2020
Cc: Nathan Alford Daily News; William Thompson Jr
Subject: [Spam] [Vision2020] HIV/AIDS

Without pointing fingers, there has been some misinformation posted on this
forum concerning the seriousness of being HIV positive.  Here is some
information:

General information:

http://globalhealth.org/view_top.php3?id=227

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pubs/facts.htm

Effect on life expectancy:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/aids/story/0,7369,751317,00.html

http://www.globalhealth.org/sources/view.php3?id=668

 www.un.org/esa/population/publications/adultmort/Vidaurre_paper7.pdf

I think that we should not attempt to minimize the effect on the lives of
those who become HIV positive.  They face a number of serious outcomes:  For
almost all people all of these consequences are quite unpleasant, expensive
to themselves and others, and life shortening -- for some victims, very life
shortening.  Those who are HIV positive in our culture are much less
attractive as life's partners.  If you have read the above, you know that
the HIV virus can be passed on to a baby during prenatal times and birthing
contact from the mother.  It does not take much imagination/reading to see
other far reaching, egregiously personal, social, and economic harmful
effects of being HIV positive.

In general, I find it criminally immoral for someone to knowingly and to
intentionally act in such a way that there is a likelihood that that person
is going to be a disease vector.  The more serious the disease, the greater
the immorality.  That is why there are stringent laws against knowingly
being a HIV vector.

From my point of view it is not the sexual acts of people that lead to
HIV/AIDS that are immoral.  I could care less who, what, and/or how, with
the below caveats, people consensually express their sexuality.  However,
for their own sakes and the sakes of their sexual partners, prudential
precautions ought be taken.  

People who are sexually active with various partners should be tested on a
regular basis to determine if they have any STDs so they can inform
potential partners of their condition before having sex and so that they can
seek medical assistance for their condition.  

The worst crime is for someone to knowingly and to intentionally, and
without their partner's(s') knowledge, act in such a way that some
probability of passing on the infection is present.  It those cases where
the victim's(s') lives are shortened, acting in such a way is nothing short
of murder.  Where the act results in causing the victim and society in
general to expend huge amounts of resources on drugs is nothing short of
large scale theft.

It is true that not absolutely everybody that has sexual conduct with an HIV
positive person will become HIV positive.  It is the kind of contact, the
number of times of contact, and the individual physiological makeup of the
individuals involved that determines whether the virus will be transmitted.

HIV is primarily transmitted through certain bodily fluids especially blood
sera. The Moscow case that has engendered this discussion has its roots
apparently in heterosexual conduct.  For example, during vaginal or anal
intercourse, particularly rigorous intercourse, vaginal or anal capillaries
can be ruptured.  Hence ejaculata can be absorbed through these ruptures. 
The same absorption principle is true, though much less likely, of the penis
head, tongue, or other delicate participating structures.  When there are
sores, either open or likely to become open during intercourse, etc, the
risk is greatly heightened.  Some of these sores may be the result of a
herpes infection, the presence of which increases the probability of HIV
transmission and then of later contracting AIDS.

I congratulate the MPD for acting in this matter.  HIV is serious business
and knowing acting in such a manner that the probability that it will be
transmitted to others without their knowledge is a very serious business. 
If nothing else, this Moscow incident reveals that we need to take a much
more proactive approach.  I very much doubt that the defendant in this case
is the only HIV positive person in the Moscow/Pullman area.  I very much
doubt that he is the only HIV positive person that is continuing to have
sexual relations without informing their partners of their condition.  There
is much work to do in this area.

Besides the comments I have already made about the ridiculously low bail in
the Moscow case, there is another entity that needs to be shaped up,
although if the past is any indication, this will be a Herculean task.  I am
speaking of the Daily News.

At least the article in the Lewiston Morning Tribune gave some of the
details of the arrest and case such as the confirming blood tests and the
outré behavior of the defendant.  The Daily News article was a bare-bones
account.

This is a serious incident and one whose consequences could be catastrophic
for many people in this area.  This is what educators call "a teachable
moment."  Hence, one would hope that a responsible, community minded
newspaper would do two things:

1.    Write extensive, factual news articles about the incident so as to
warn the community and to warn as many potential victims as possible, many
who are leaving this week, some for good.  Those victims should immediately
be tested so that they do not become vectors themselves and so that they can
seek immediate, relevant, non-judgmental medical advice.

2.    Solicit and encourage columns giving public health information about
HIV/AIDS.

Instead, the duty of the Daily News is being performed by bar owners Phil
and Shelly Roderick who correctly see this egregious problem as a public
health problem and who graciously arranged for dissemination of information
and for testing potential victims.  Congratulations to them.  A slimy ton of
coal for the Daily News!

Wayne A. Fox
1009 Karen Lane
PO Box 9421
Moscow, ID  83843

(208) 882-7975
waf at moscow.com

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