An Example Of Why HIV Education Is Still A Priority

Still a long way to go

by j. brotherlove

My World AIDS Day got busy and I didn’t get around to posting something more substantial about the epidemic. However, Bernie collected some relevant observations of the day.

While I was surfing, I ran across Sandra Rose who recently posted a picture of Magic and Cookie Johnson adding "16 years later and Magic looks as healthy as the day he made that shocking announcement."

Amongst the level-headed comments are examples of typical ignorance and downright stupidity:

"Magic is a pure example of money ‘buying’ happiness…"

"…what man in their right mind would touch [Cookie] knowing she was married to a man that has AIDS."

"The cure for HIV/AIDS has been found, unfortunately its only for wealthy people."

"Cookie is long suffering. Obviously she’s in it for those dollars."

The idea that Magic Johnson has had a "miraculous recovery" and/or has been cured of HIV because he is rich is a prevalent belief in the black community and underscores why HIV/AIDS education needs to be a priority in the fight to curtail the spread of the disease.

As for the idea that HIV-positive individuals are undeserving of loving relationships, that’s as preposterous as the media perpetuating the idea that people who are not skinny or heterosexual or Christian are doomed to be single and unhappy.

There are some among us who wear their ignorance like a badge of honor. Don’t know nothing, and damn proud of it!

While I thank you for referring to my site, I too didn’t write as much as I would have liked or have written in the past. WAD falling on a Saturday, after a very busy week, left me unprepared to be profound.

But I also sense a growing ambivalence, perhaps laced with fatigue, on this issue among both the general population and the blogger community in particular. I for one am not sure what more to say.

Fatigue is a good word to describe my feelings on HIV/AIDS discussion. It is exhausting having the same conversations with only minor evidence of an effect (if any at all).

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