Originally posted by 80sU2isBest:
So, he hasn't uttered the word "AIDS" while he was governeor of my state Texas - do you know that? How do you know that?
Salon Magazine, Nov 19, 1999. It isn't a revelation--there are other sources as well, if you would like me to pull them up. But this is a fact, uncovered by those who knew of his anti-homosexual stance, and who pored through his collection of speeches to find his plans to control the AIDS epidemic. Instead, they found literally nothing.
Governor of Texas is not some Surgeon General, who has time to appropriate money for every disease that comes down the pike. That's what disease foundations are for. AIDS is no worse a threat than Cancer, and yet, I don't hear people complaining because their governor doesn't spend all his time talking about Cancer. In many many cases, Cancer is TOTALLY unpreventable - meaning nothing the person does causes them to get cancer. This is usually not the case with AIDS. There is a very very small percentage of people who get AIDS through birth or through transfusion. So, there is a way to prevent AIDS. Don't share needles and don't have sex with anyone other than your spouse.
I never said Bush had to spend a great amount of time discussing the AIDS problem, but he could at least devote some time to a problem which is no longer contained to people who engage in high sexual activity. It isn't his job to control AIDS research, but he needs to help the people recognize that this is not a disease that is contained within the gay community. It's a problem for everyone, and only education can help people truly realize that.
Cancer is in a different situation, because again, the rate of cancer is not increasing, and in general it is not totally preventable. You seem to be contradicting yourself--why would people be concerned with taking action against cancer, a generally unpreventable disease? AIDS, on the other hand, is preventable, so it deserves some discussion regarding its prevention.
And don't tell me it's impossible. I'm 34 years old and haven't had sex since I was 23 (and before that, I had NEVER had sex), and it's not even a difficult thing to accomplish. Also, George Bush is against Gay marriage and Gay adoption. Does that make him a homophobe? No no no. I would guess that most people probably are against gay marriage and gay adoption. I am. And I am no homophobe. I just believe certain things are wrong, and if they came to me with a bill to sign that would lead to state-sanctioning of something I feel is morally wrong, there's no way I would sign it. Do you begrudge a man for standing by his principles?
I don't think it's impossible. I'm 19 and haven't ever gone there, though that has mostly been situational. I haven't really put myself into a place where I would have to make that type of decision, mainly because of the crowd I hang out with, and the culture I was raised in. We are both lucky in that sense. However, for some people, the temptation is just too great. Their culture has not made them feel as though casual sex is wrong, and they don't always consider the consequences. For them, there is much more possibility for the exposure to AIDS, and it will take years to change their culture to have them recognize the danger they are putting themselves into.
I myself am against gay adoption, as I am not sure if gay men and lesbian women are in the correct position to serve as a family example for a child. And I realize that most Americans (around 60%) oppose same-sex marriages receiving the same rights as traditional marriages. However, is it right do discriminate against homosexuals? Is it right to make them suffer further for something that have no control over? Bush has repeatedly shown that he does not support legislation that would protect homesexuals from discrimination.
I know of his belief that homosexuality is wrong, and I respect his decision as long as it is educated. If he believes in the teachings of the Bible, more power to him. However, he is isolating himself from those of us who are liberals and feel he needs to devote some time to discussing the problems amongst the gay community. The fact that he seems to ignore gay rights altogether raises more than a few eyebrows.
80sU2isBest, I don't think you are homophobic, as you seem comfortable with the subject, and you express your beliefs freely. I have no problem with that. I do have a problem with people who try to ignore homosexuals, thinking they will just "go away".
