As it is my day off work I like to lounge, as it should be. On VH1 a special on AIDS and popular culture was on and I guess I just sort of forget it all--like my generation was raised in awareness but I don't think it's something we actively worry about now. We were too young to be shocked by the deaths of Rock Hudson, Freddie Mercury or Easy E--too blissfully ignorant to even know what was happening. Now all we know is "wear a condom" and think of "Rent" when we hear the word AIDS. We kind of dismiss it as the epidemic of the 80s and that we've conquered it now, when in actuality, in 2003 AIDS cases in the US rose for the first time in 10 years, most between the ages of 15-24. WHAT? Last year alone, 42,000 Americans contracted HIV/AIDS. A disproportionate number of new cases are occurring in young, heterosexual women. Now there are 42 million people in the world living with AIDS. A recent statistic said that by 2010, 20 million African children will be orphans due to HIV/AIDS.
One child every minute dies from AIDS.
A child.
I don't tend to get all mushy about things like this, but for some reason this has especially hit me today.
Watching that show I was blown away by the initial protests by the Christian Right about the disease, saying it "Served [homosexuals] right," implying that this horrific epidemic was God's wrath. That took my breath away, because in those faces behind the huge "GOD HATES FAGS" signs, I saw not one ounce of compassion or love. These people are dying, they don't know how or why, and your first reaction is "serves them right?" How do I make sure I never become like that? I am shocked and digusted.
It's World AIDS Day and I'm convicted that I don't do enough if there is even something I can do.
Ugh.
Stats taken from:
www.whatudo.org
www.unaids.org
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