Lets be real

It seems as though the weeks are flying by and before we all know it this semester will be over. I know I'm ready for Thanksgiving. I can already taste the turkey and all the food that goes with it. Last week was interesting with the M&M simulation. First off I hate swallowing pills. I have always had a hard time swallowing them. I wasn't really bothered by scheduling taking them during the day or making sure I eat 3 meals a day that was the easy part. To imagine my life everyday like that having to swallow pills and even remember to take them on time is such a hassle. Let's just say I am more aware now about what people with HIV/AIDS go through on a daily basis, minus the real effects of the side effects that are associated with each pill. I do feel bad for them and that is something I would not wish on my worst enemy. On the other hand, I was thinking more about our QOTW and man can I tell you that that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Tracking people with HIV so that they don't spread it to other people...really is that what society has come to? In other places putting people with HIV in camps and isolating them from the rest of the population definitely sounds like a modern day holocaust to me. We need to learn from history that this never solves any problems it only creates more. Not only is it a violation of human rights it seems extremely unethical. I personally don't think the United States would implement something like this as President Obama just signed a law to undo the previous HIV travel ban. The future should be bright, looking forward to finding a cure not the negative.

22 years in the making

It seems that since I have started this class my thoughts are consumed by HIV. Every week I think about what if I was HIV+ or what if one of my friends told me they were HIV+. I never thought so much about a disease that I thought would never be in my life. I was reading some articles and I came across one that was rather interesting. President Obama lifted a 22 year travel ban for people with HIV to enter the United States. Obama said the restrictions were 'rooted in fear rather than fact' and it is encouraging that America has finally moved away from such discriminatory measures. (Avert 2009) I think is a very good move on the part of the President and the United States government. I don't think that it is right that countries discriminate against people with HIV because sometimes people get infected in difficult circumstances. If we discriminate against people with HIV then why don't we discriminate against people with cancer or other diseases. I hope that this step of travel bans on people with HIV sets an example for other countries that may have this ban too.

U.S to lift travel ban after 22 years (November 2, 2009) HIV and AIDS news. Retrieved November 4, 2009 from http://www.avert.org/aidsnews.htm