I'm sorry if it seemed like I was trivializing World AIDS Day. That was certainly not my intent. I pay attention to AIDS news and issues most days of the year, and I didn't feel like I had anything to really contribute on that topic at the moment, but at the same time I didn't want to let it pass without remarking.

Anyway, here are penance links:

• Official World AIDS Day site

• A link about the pope. He condemns discrimination against HIV+ people, and is considering sanctioning condoms in specific circumstances (married couple, one partner is positive. Well, better than nothing!)

• Barack Obama's speech. There's an interesting article in Salon about what it means politically that he spoke at an evangelical megachurch, but that's not the point here. He and a Republican congressman got publicly tested to help reduce the stigma with getting tested, too.
  

I realize these links are about World AIDS Day rather than about AIDS/HIV per se. I chose them because I think they show how much progress has been made in reducing the stigma associated with AIDS and with people taking it seriously and being able to talk about it and be informed about it. But none of this helps people who are already dead, except perhaps to exonerate their memories in the minds of those who think they need exonerating anyway.

So, sorry if any glibness was perceived; none was intended.
- posted by k @ 3:43 PM