African
AIDS epidemic solutions more difficult
I
found the Our View from April 6, “Solution
to AIDS not as easy as ABC,” a
bit troubling. It advertised itself
as dealing with the plight of AIDS in
Africa and Asia, but was it really? Asia
was mentioned early on, and then never
brought up again. Why these omissions?
Then there was a rather glib attack upon the current administration’s
plan (ABC) to try and curb the epidemic. The reasoning against this plan
was it was “asinine” to try and foist abstinence upon African
males, as they are forced to work in mines so far away.
Does this mean their working conditions are a forced means of abstinence, or
that they would be dipping into the prostitution pool surrounding the mines
(and other industries) to satiate their appetites?
The first assertion is moot, and the second merely adds to the AIDS problem. Abstaining,
or a certain amount of education on the transmission of AIDS, and the proper
use of prophylactics would do wonders.
And what of infected men having sex with virgins, thinking this can cure? I
do believe a bit of education would do wonders here.
And all this education would slow down the transmission of AIDS from mother
to child if the people infected knew of their condition and abstained
or protected themselves.
Then there is the assertion Africa has it hard right now, so the possibility
of dying from AIDS does not scare them the way it does us. We should,
then, aid them in making “life worth living.”
How does one do this? Is this not an issue on its own, without being lumped
in with the quagmire of AIDS? To say more can be done without properly
addressing the positives of current attempts or negatives of different ideas
is, frankly, asinine.
— AJ Schmitz, senior English major
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