[Conservative Vet]

I'm excluded too as a Desert Storm veteran because of potential Gulf War Syndrome. I recently inquired if the ban had been lifted and it hasn't. Doesn't bother me. Sure there are gay men who are in monogamous relationships—but there are enormous numbers that are INCREDIBLY promiscuous. You can see how the AIDS spread so quickly in the gay community in the excellent book by Randy Shilts, And the Band Played On. Shilts, by the way, was in a monogamous relationship and disapproved of that lifestyle, but one of his partners wasn't monogamous. Shilts died of AIDS. The safety of the blood supply is paramount. As long as it is prohibitive to test the blood beforehand, I have no problem with the blanket bans, even though I 'm banned as well.

[Tax-chick]

Sure there are gay men who are in monogamous relationships ...

Temporarily.

A study I read recently reported that in no male-homosexual relationship studied had the partners been sexually exclusive for five years or more.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Shilts, by the way, was in a monogamous relationship and disapproved of that lifestyle, but one of his partners wasn't monogamous.

ONE of his partners? Was he monogamous one gay lover at a time?

[rjsimmon]

Shilts, by the way, was in a monogamous relationship and disapproved of that lifestyle, but one of his partners wasn't monogamous.

Can you not see the conflict in that statement? You cannot be in a monogamous relationship with multiple partners.

[elcid1970]

Thank you for your Desert Storm service.

I’m excluded because I was stationed in Germany more than thirty years ago, 1981-83. The window of exclusion is 1980-1990 and it still hasn’t been lifted.

I later got back in the military & was giving blood right after 9-11 until this poppycock Mad Cow disqualifier was imposed. Felt silly lining up with everyone in my unit at the bloodmobile & then getting turned away, no Coke or cookies for you, pal.

And now the faggies are at it again. Grrr.......