When Americans sang "We are the world," that's damn well what we meant. $450 billion every 365 days for the killing platforms, none for these folks though. Which circle of Hell am I in again? I wonder if the authors hear that sometimes and open up their checkbook, or do they try to remain distant recorders and watchers. Or maybe they've opened up their checkbook before and realize if doesn't really help solve anything. Sad, sad sad, in any case.
Non-Americans sang on "we are the world". I can obviously see the Aids problem, but wonder if that is caused by race or culture? I mean, it's not like daddy is being all that "faithful" after all.
Mike my friend and co-soccer coach of our U14 team in town here, built and orphanage on part of his farm in Swaz. It has over the past couple of years turned into an AID's hospice but because of patients dying of the disease it's more in demand as an orphanage for the kids left behind. Most if not all of these kids are at least HIV pos. Mike's son Pete, I think he's 20 now, gave up a year of his college at UW to go and help out there. He took enough money to buy a pickup for the place and for his use while he was there. His room was a dorm shared with 8 Swazi kids all about 10-12 years old, all HIV pos. When they weren't at school the kids followed him everywhere. He was the sunshine to these little guys, unfortunately Pete got sick towards the end of his year. Fortunately, sort of, it was malaria, silly bugger forgot to take his pills. He got back a couple of months ago and still gets upset when he talks about the experience and what's happening there. He's planning on doing his grad. work in Cape Town and going back. This is a guy that could have gotten on any soccer team he was that good. Instead chose rugby as his sport and was selected for the US Eagles U19's and went on a tour of Europe with them. He had the chance to play again but he's going back to the kids.
Think AIDs is horrible, how about the cure! Or perceived cure. Hit google for "virgin cure" http://www.newsfromafrica.org/newsfromafrica/articles/art_5525.html
Really? Dan Aykroyd Harry Belafonte Lindsey Buckingham Kim Carnes Ray Charles Bob Dylan Sheila E. Bob Geldof Hall and Oates James Ingram Jackie Jackson LaToya Jackson Marlon Jackson Michael Jackson Randy Jackson Tito Jackson Al Jarreau Waylon Jennings "Pop-Up Video" stated that he left the recording session due to a dispute over the lyrics. Billy Joel Cyndi Lauper Huey Lewis and the News Kenny Logins Bette Midler Willie Nelson Jeffery Osborne Steve Perry The Pointer Sisters Lionel Richie Smokey Robinson Kenny Rogers Diana Ross Paul Simon Bruce Springsteen Tina Turner Dionne Warwick Stevie Wonder Michael Boddicker - Synthesizers, Programming Paulinho da Costa - Percussion Louis Johnson - Bass Quincy Jones - Producer Michael Omartian - Keyboards, Producer Greg Phillinganes - Keyboards John Robinson - Drums
Because per the article, most of the people who are dying in the current epidemic were infected in the 90s before there was widespread awareness of the problem there.
There are still plenty of people getting affected by HIV now. The awareness is there that HIV/AIDS exists, but the awareness of how to prevent the spread is not there. I travel a lot in Southern Africa and know there are many reasons, money, education government ignorance like Mbeki in South Africa and Moyo in Zimbabwe. One of the most important factors though, as Garcia said, is religion. There are hundreds of "missionaries" (for want of a better word) of all faiths who prteach their stuff in the rural area's where there is obviously a lower standard of education. Unfortuanatly many of these only talk about abstaining from sex, rather than using condoms for protection. They also do not advocate the use of testing before getting into a relationship. Therefore the ignorance remains. The rate of infection in Zimbabwe is unknown because of the political situation, but it is certainly estimated to be around 30% of the population. That is a huge figure.
Dunno so much about Africa, but in the States a lot of people who do these kinds of jobs start after they've learned they were infected.
Here's a very slightly more hopeful article from the Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20747-2004Nov29.html After prevention, access to inexpensive HAART is key, obviously. Connecting to Ben's other thread on Africa, this article notes that now that the meds are beginning to flow the biggest barrier to HIV/AIDS care in South Africa is the lack of trained personnel.