epicstruggle said:
Im off the opinion that everyone should be mandated to take hiv/aids tests periodically, and marked/tattoed near their crotch with whether or not they have the virus. A scarlett 'A'. At the same time, extremely strong anti-discrimination laws enacted to protect these people from discrimination because of the virus.
How 'bout lets not?
Really, your solution seems to be the sort of "government should solve all problems, even those in people's personal lives who don't have the problem to begin with". The whole tatoo thing can be circumvented easily. Not only through rogue removal/alteration, but people in-between checkups could become infected and thus give a false sense of security. And there is that little thing called the "Constitution"
I much prefer the solution (which btw I know a number of people have chosen, including myself and my wife) not to sleep with anyone until being married. Many states require an HIV test before marriage, and knowing the person you are gonna sleep with and their family can great reduce these sort of things.
I really believe many of these issues are, in NA, able to be controlled through behavior. Now if people wish to opt-in to a system where they are tatooed then that is fine. But pushing such a system onto people like myself who are at extremely low risk of infection or infecting others certainly breaches my Constitutional Rights.
I understand places like Afriaca are different (and even a tatoo solution would not work there), and think we should continue research to cure/prevent STDs. But until then I think the reality is that these diseases can be controlled through behavior. i.e. Don't have sex outside of longterm monogamous relationships where you are sure the person is disease free (i.e. you both go to the health department to get tested together).
If the men in question had not been sleeping with someone they had not verified for themselves did not have AIDs this would not have been an issue. I am not saying they even have to get married or force manditory HIV tests and markers on everyone as you suggest--they could have said, "I want to have sex with you, but before I do we need to go to the health department together". If she said no, then you know those are some shark infested waters you don't want to test. Obviously the majority of them were not seriously involved with her because they have at least 24 men in the 3 year period they are concerned about being infected. That is an average of one man every 45 days.
Not to be too callous, but one could look at it like global warming. Ok it is a problem and we should do our part to resolve the impact we make. But until then it makes sense not to build your home on the beach. Any number of analogies fit better (it is late), but I think the point is solid: When there is a crysis, try to solve the problem, but until it is solved do what you can to get out of the way. There are truly underpriviledged people in this world who don't have this option, but where I live in NA most do.
