I DON'T Heart Huckabee

The revelation that Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee had stated back in 1992 that he believed that AIDS patients should be "isolated" (in other words, quarantined) does not surprise me. He also thought that the federal government should stop funding research toward a cure. Between his blatant ignorance, Ronald Reagan's infamous long silence, George W. Bush's asinine abstinence first HIV prevention plan and every other ridiculous idea coming from Republicans, it's no wonder HIV/AIDS cases are once again rising rapidly.

Huckabee also stated in that 1992 Associated Press candidate questionnaire that "I feel homosexuality is an aberrant, unnatural, and sinful lifestyle, and we now know it can pose a dangerous public health risk." Well, I think people like Huckabee pose a dangerous public health risk, a hazard to liberty, and an insult to our nation.

But let me pose some open questions to Mr. Huckabee.

1) So, Mike. How do you propose to find all the people living with HIV/AIDS? Raid the private medical records? Might be a good (if highly unethical) start. But what of those who are not receiving treatment? What of those who have never been tested? So, will you spend billions forcing EVERY American to be tested? What about non-Americans that are here (legally or not)? What test would you use? The standard antibody test will return a negative result for about six weeks to six MONTHS after infection. How frequently would you force people to be tested to ensure you didn't miss anybody? A viral load test would show a positive result immediately, but is more costly. That's why it's not done, even though the sooner it's known, the quicker the person can get into care.

2) Huckster. May I call you Huckster? Oh well, I'll do it anyway. Where would you put us all? The CDC estimated about 1.2 MILLION people in the U.S. were living with HIV -- at the end of 2003. Recently, the CDC announced that they may have drastically underestimated the number of people who are positive and don't know it. Duh. But to keep up with the rate of new infections (about 40,000/year reported), we will need space for at least 2 million persons. Probably closer to three or four. We don't want to be crowded. And don't think you can do to us what was done to the natives of this land. We don't want to go to Santa Fe or Phoenix.

3) What about our jobs, our friends and families? What about our HIV-negative partners who are quite familiar with safe sex practices? What about our homes? Would they be fumigated and sold at auction, or just burnt to the ground?

4) Who will pay for all of this? The testing, the relocation, building our condos, the Ikea furnishings?

Sure, some of what I wrote here was tongue-in-cheek, but it's a serious topic overall. It scares me that this man is running. It scares me even more that people will vote for him.

Theft or Ignorance?

Today is Austin's annual AIDS Walk, a fundraiser benefitting a number of AIDS service organizations in the Austin area. I think today is a good day to rant about something that has been bothering me for a while.

Back in 1991, the Red Ribbon Project was formed. The New York Visual AIDS Artist Caucus to provide a conscious raising symbol that was copyright and royalty free, thus it was not to be seen as a commercial product. The collaboration of artists behind the ribbon campaign wanted to provide a visual symbol demonstrating compassion for those living with AIDS, their caregivers and to remember those who had died. Red was chosen for it's connection to blood and passion (anger and love alike).

It was worn by Jeremy Irons at the 1991 Tony Awards. Tom Hanks wore it when he accepted the Academy Award for his role in the powerful 1993 AIDS film, "Philadelphia", as did many others at Oscars that year.

Yet lately, other organizations have stolen that symbol for their own purposes. I say stolen, because I'm angry. It may not quite be theft, but ignorance of the history of that ribbon. That saddens me more.

Both Mothers Against Drunk Driving and a more recent Anti-Drug campaign in public school systems (DARE) have taken the red ribbon as theirs.

So now, when I wear my red ribbon in memory of my friends and family member who have died of AIDS, of my friends who are (like me), living with HIV/AIDS, and the 25+ MILLION people around the globe that have died, the estimated 40+ MILLION world-wide living with it, what will others think I wear it for?

I sell AIDS Awareness designs on my Cafepress.com shops. I do not do it to make money for myself. I use the proceeds to purchase items to be donated to silent auctions for AIDS service organizations.

There are many others out there who sell out and keep the money for themselves. That angers me. Profiteering from any disease is unethical.

Today at AIDS Walk I will proudly wear my respect, love and compassion boldly on my shirt as I walk for those who no longer can. I will defend the meaning of the Red Ribbon against those who, whether out of spite or ignorance, have taken that which belongs to us.

I will not let such things silence our movement. We've been sentenced to silence long enough. I've had enough.

AIDS Awareness Designs

On Rick Perry

According to the Texas Constitution

Article 4 - EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT Section 13 - RESIDENCE OF GOVERNOR During the session of the Legislature the Governor shall reside where its sessions are held, and at all other times at the seat of Government, except when by act of the Legislature, he may be required or authorized to reside elsewhere.

I have read of no act of state Legislators authorizing Rick Perry to live outside of Austin city limits, therefore, Perry is breaking Constitutional law. Not surprising, since his former boss and current role model, George W. Bush also ignores Constitutional law when it's inconvenient. So, what can we, the people of Texas, do to get Rick Perry impeached. Or force him to be located in much less expensive housing (less than $9,900/month in taxpayer money) within city limits?

Obviously I find Rick Perry to be an incompetent Governor. Have since he declared his support for a very hateful marriage amendment (and his anti-abortion stance) in front of a church.

All this from a man who would probably have put Jesus on death row...

Keep Religion Out of Texas Government

"When the Federal Republican Constitution of their country, which they have sworn to support, no longer has a substantial existence, and the whole nature of their government has been forcibly changed, without their consent, from a restricted federative republic, composed of sovereign states, to a consolidated central military despotism, in which every interest is disregarded but that of the army and the priesthood, both the eternal enemies of civil liberty, the everready minions of power, and the usual instruments of tyrants."

So reads the second sentence of the Texas Declaration of Independence, ratified unanimously on March 2, 1836 while the Alamo was under siege by Santa Ana's armies. They are the words of true Texans (and Texians and Tejanos). They are the true voice of Texas.

Being a native-born Texan, I've been ashamed of my home state ever since George W. Bush was elected Governor. Perry has added to the disaster that Texas has become.

When Perry announced support for the unethical and unconstitutional (both state and federal) amendment to deny gay Texans equality in marriage, he did so in front of a church. He played the Christian voters like a harp, just as George W. Bush has been doing.

"The instruments of tyrants" indeed.

With the adding of the words "under God" to the state Pledge of Allegiance, Perry has further played the religion card. Many people seem to believe that those words had always existed in the federal pledge, but they have not. That pledge had been written by northern Baptist minister Francis Bellamy on September 7, 1892. Bellamy strongly agreed with our nation's founders of the importance and necessity of separation of church and state.

In 1954, the words were unconstitutionally added to our nation's pledge, forever blurring the boundaries, and our nation's liberties continue to suffer from this

The question now is, do I stay or do I leave? The answer is written in the blood of the fallen defenders of the Alamo. I am a Texan, a Texan am I. I will stay, and fight, for I shall never forget the Alamo, nor the sacrifice which it represents in the name of liberty for all.

In the immortal words of William Barrett Travis, "Victory or Death!"

Texas Declaration of Independence

Perspective

A federal Justice in Australia's High Court made a comment the other day which really puts things in perspective.

He made an observation while the court was considering an appeal against a man convicted under Australia's new anti-terror laws -- the first person to have been so charged. Justice Michael Kirby's remarks were made in response to the Solicitor-General stating that Australia was more vulnerable to terrorist attacks since the events of September 11, 2001 in the United States.

Kirby said, "Yes, but the Americans, with all respects, have become obsessed with September 11. That is not an event that occurred in this country, and I think we have to keep our eye on the threats to Australia."

Justice Kirby added that more people died every day from AIDS than died in September 11.

According to the UN, 7,761 people died from AIDS-related illness each day across the globe in 2005. Approximately 2,900 died in the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks. That's more than two and a half times for a single day -- or 975 times over the course of just one year. That's 2,832,765 deaths from AIDS in one year.

I've been thinking this since 2002, when I realized that "9/11" and "September 11th" had become little more than catch-phrases. AIDS is still being ignored, especially in America, while people still talk about the events of ONE DAY nearly five and a half years ago.

Some perspective, isn't it...?

Dave