Useful Fools

When AIDS first hit the United States, AIDS activists were able to prevent some routine public health measures, resulting in a dramatically higher death toll than was necessary. They opposed contact tracing and quarantine, both normal measures with deadly contagious disease.

If one of the AIDS patients had contracted the less deadly multidrug resistant tuberculosis, they might have been confined to a hospital or other facility, by court order. But carrying and spreading HIV (the virus which causes AIDS) was made secret by laws pushed by gay rights activists. Hence contact tracing was not possible, and quarantine was and continues to be politically impossible.

Until Now…

A new, rapidly progressing variant of HIV has been found in several cases. If this form of HIV gets lose among the vulnerable populations (male homosexuals, IV drug users, and people from Pattern II countries), the result could be more dramatic than the original AIDS outbreak (See Note 1). It is also possible that the new HIV variant is a false alarm. [free registration required]

As a result, more coercive approaches are being considered [free registration required].

And yet, some still have their heads in the sand. Jon Givner, Lambda Legal Defense Fund, states:

We don’t want public health vigilantes going out and taking matters into their own hands, particularly if it means breaching the confidentially and civil rights of people with H.I.V.,”… “Frankly, I find it pretty scary.”

Jon, don’t you find the consequences of an epidemic of this disease even more frightening? If not, you are a dangerous idiot! And by the way, public health officials are, well, officials - sworn government officers with broad powers, not “vigilantes.”

On the other hand, Gabriel Rotello tells the truth:

“You can’t have a core group of people having sex with large numbers of people without amplifying any sexually transmitted disease that enters the system,” … “I don’t have any doubt that a resurgent H.I.V. epidemic will hit the gay population in the near future,” he said.

This time, the gay community will be put to the test, knowing full well the consequences of an epidemic of this new disease. As you can see, not all will support responsible action.

This is the time for that community to act responsibly and support common-sense and necessary public health measures.

The world will be watching.