What Would Be Your First Reaction

[lavender]

If someone informed you of their belief that "AIDS is a disease of homosexuals."

What would you say? How would you react? What if this person is close to you and stubborn as all hell.

They've obviously been fed a load of horse shit, but how can you get them to listen to you when they don't want to? How can you provide information without seeming "preachy?"

I've thought about emailing little innocuous articles about AIDS and homosexuality that send out a positive, unbiased message that refutes his/her belief.

I just really don't know how to react to such stupidity and ignorance.

 

[deliciously_naughty]

first of all I would point out that lesbians have the lowest occurence of HIV/AIDS of any groups (to point out the problems with the term homosexuals...of course we know they mean men, but it gets them thinking)

Because they're someone I care about, I would feel comfortable saying "I never expected to hear such a prejudiced comment from you" and then saying why

you may sound preachy, but there's no way to tell someone they're wrong without it being at least a teeny bit preachy.

I might also have some stats on hand from the CDC to refute their charges

 

[tyme]

I would be very upset if someone I know told me that. The best thing you can do is try and tell them maybe give them a few handouts. But other then letting them know that it upsets you that they feel this way and are (dumb) I mean ignorant enough to think this way there is not much you can do. I would try to tell them the truth about hiv and aid thought.

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

I've run into that a lot, actually, as a friend of mine died of AIDS.

A lot of people ask me how he got it, and I tell them I don't know, I didn't feel it was my place to ask. ...Hopeing they will get the point that it was rude of them to ask me.

There is a docu-flim called "And the Band Played On" starring Alan Alda and Matthew Bodine among others I'm sure you can rent which follows the spread of AIDS in the US.

Among other things it brings to light that a lot of people didn't know is that after the researches found out that it was blood related it was desided NOT to test blood in blood banks, so many more people were infected via blood transfusions that could have been prevented.

Two of my other friends got AIDS that way, and for a time that was the way most children contracted it. Now they are screening blood, but children are being born with it.

And, in some ways this relates to the Muslim thread someone else started: It's easier to hate a group than to deal with the issue. In this case, it's easier to say "It's a gay problem" than to say "I might get this."

As for your friend....

Just look at her and say "I know that's what you belive, but if you'd look at the research you'd know that view isn't held up by any logic at all."

If she wishes to debate with you, I"m sure your prepared.

 

[Star of Penumbra]

If someone informed you of their belief that "AIDS is a disease of homosexuals."

"You pathetic ignorant pinheaded dumbass. I pity you."

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Star?

I think her aim was to remain the other persons friend and educate them...

 

[Star of Penumbra]

Star?

I think her aim was to remain the other persons friend and educate them...

I quit getting into discussions with ignorant stubborn people because it's not worth the trouble.

I care very little (if at all) about people I don't personally know. Since lavender didn't specify whether we knew the person or not, I assumed the latter. If somebody I don't know wants to be ignorant, I say let 'em.

 

[Nighthunter]

most of my friends know better, but if one did say that, my first response would be to haul him to the local health department, to A) get tested and B) get informed about the reality of Hiv/AIDS infection

 

[T.H. Oughts]

I'd tell her how my average everyday female cousin died from aids 9 years ago from a bad blood hospital transfusion visit a couple of years before hand..

She was not in a NZ hospital.

 

[KillerMuffin]

I would ask them if they'd ever been to Sub-Saharan Africa. And then I would explain about the reality. I know this because I've done this.

 

[Morwen]

...

 

[Guru]

 

[Epiphany]

Some people are just stubborn and you can't make them change their minds not matter what. I would probably find some literature or a good website on HIV and recommend they check it out.

I ran into this alot when my brother had AIDS. I heard every idiotic, assinine remark in the world.

 

[tyme]

The hing about AIDs and HIV is it does not care if you are black, white, gay, or any other combo you can think of. Kids get it that does not mean the child was gay. I like the idea of getting the friend tested. They might not have been as careful as they should have.

 

[Nighthunter]

thank you and *bump* just in case there are some here that still think that way

 

[glamorilla]

it takes patience and time to change someones way of thinking about this stuff and thats all. its just a simple fact of not knowing better and blaming an easy target.

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Off subject...

But Glam, why won't you tell me where you get your beatiful Av's from?

 

[Ms_Lilith]

My grandmother has said that to me. My response was.. 'er... no.', and then 'open your mind, grandma, that's a bit of an archaic belief, isn't it?'. My grandmother is a fanatic pentecostal. She's religious to a fault, and she's stubborn to boot. So my general argument is 'religion is the curse of the old'. Not true, but neither is the statement that this thread is about. My grandmother got into such a huff.. and then realized my point.

 

[Liontamr]

I'm happy (and proud) to say that no one in my small circle of friends would be stupid enough to think that way. After the decades of public learning about AIDS and HIV I really can't understand how someone would be so narrow minded as to think it's "a disease of homosexuals"

Then again I can't understand how there can be any bigots and racists out there yet there are.. so I guess anything is possible.

Anyway, if I had a friend making a comment like that I'd tell them right up front that he/she is a blind idiot that needs to grab a clue and get educated. There really is no good excuse why someone can not have at least the very basic facts of HIV and AIDS. And to turn a blind eye to those facts and act stuborn is worth of being blasted - even if that person is a good friend of mine.

Then again, I've never had to be in this position.. So maybe I'd treat the situation with more understanding and not be so willing to blast a friend if they felt that way. But I'm thinking I would.. Most of my close friends are very open and we give each other our opinons weither we like them or not.

 

[Lost Cause]

Sometimes....

It's like trying to teach a pig to sing, it just wastes your time, and annoys the pig! You might point out that it's here now, so what's their solution? Point out all the "straight" people that have it from tainted blood, what's their solution? They sound like the same type that blames immigrants, blacks, politics, and even the weather for their misery, rather than cleaning up rough edges in their own lives. Accept that there are those types out there, until something happens close to them, they can't relate to the problem.