Some AIDS Activists are Short on Brains

ABCNEWS: Demonstrators Protest U.S. Polices on AIDS

Hundreds of demonstrators marched Thursday to protest U.S. policies on AIDS, demanding that President Bush do more to treat and prevent the disease.

Do these idiots think President Bush is some sort of global doctor and the United States is his physician's bag?

In Johannesburg, about 500 angry AIDS activists, many wearing red and white T-shirts that said "HIV Positive," criticized Bush, saying he had hurt the global fight against the disease by spending billions of dollars on war.

They also contended he undermined the global fight against AIDS by limiting access to condoms, reproductive choices and generic drugs.

[...]

"The effect of the U.S. government's unlawful war in Iraq has been to divert international attention and resources away from global health and poverty," [Mark] Heywood said, reading from the memorandum.

Do these idiots think President Bush is diverting the money and attention they apparently think they deserve from the fight against AIDS to wage war in Iraq and combat terrorism? Do they think he has actually been denying people the ability to acquire the goods and services mentioned? I'm certainly not going to put it past the United States Government's ability or will to grossly interfere in a market, but I've got a hunch what these people really is the Bush Administration isn't spending enough taxpayer money subsidizing these activities; a totally different beast altogether, the difference between a voluntary mutual exchange and a government racket.

In the memorandum, the activists demanded that Bush cut military spending and earmark more money for the fight against AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, malnutrition and poverty which they called the biggest threat to human security today.

The memorandum noted the United Nations estimated that 2.5 million to 3.5 million people died of AIDS last year, 1 million died of malaria and 2 million died of tuberculosis. It said the U.N. estimated 800 million people suffered from malnutrition and that it contributed to half of the 10 million child deaths in the developing world.

The activists also demanded that the U.S. ensure the success of the World Health Organization's plan to treat 3 million people with AIDS by 2005.

They also accused the United States of undermining public confidence in generic anti-AIDS drugs, and demanded that it stop limiting access to condoms and reproductive choices through family planning. They also demanded that the United States give the promised $15 billion for AIDS prevention and treatment to the Global Fund.

Well now. That's a hell of a list of demands. I wonder from where these people think the money to pay for this stuff would come? Actually, I don't wonder because they don't care.

If they did, they'd understand they are publicly demanding that Americans have more of their wealth stolen and redistributed to the needy around the globe. It's bad enough we have to contend with Bush's bogus AIDS initiative, but we don't need more demands we sacrifice ourselves for others. Why don't these animated, motivated individuals put their energy into enterprises that are honest and do more immediate good?

Furthermore...

"We promote choice, we don't dictate like George Bush. His policy is killing people, it is making the problem worse," said Mark Heywood, a leader of the South African activist group Treatment Action Campaign.

Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

...how about they cease the gushing hypocrisy of simultaneously demanding I have our income coerced from us and then assert they stand for choice and against dictatorship? Is a little intellectual honesty too much to ask?

Posted by Drizzten at June 24, 2004 02:33 PM