Posted on 10/17/2005 4:23:05 PM PDT by Recovering_Democrat
Will and his partner are like a well-oiled machine when it comes to making their morning coffee.
Will, wanted to donate blood: We never had a fight. Never had one fight.
They have been in a monogamous relationship for five years and recently the couple was moved by the images of the devastation left behind by hurricane Katrina.
Will: I went to donate blood, because I felt like I needed to do something for the hurricane victims.
But before will could even roll up his sleeves, he was told his blood was unwanted. The reason - it wasn't because he was sick or had visited a third world country. Instead, it was because he honestly answered the blood center's survey.
Will: They gave me a questionnaire to fill out and one of the questions was have you ever had sex with a man since 1977. Of course I answered yes.
And with that, Will was told it's perfectly acceptable to be an openly gay man, just not a gay blood donor.
Will: I was turned down because I was gay. I was told that was why I could not donate blood.
For Will, it makes no sense. He feels in this time of need, his blood should be tested before it's turned down. Not to mention, all men and women - regardless of sexual preference - pose a risk. Now, Will says denying his donation is just wrong.
Will: I was in shock more than anything. I just couldn't believe it.
Employees at South Florida's blood centers say Will's not the only one complaining.
Will: A couple of calls from people, particularly those that are in monogamous homosexual relationships, questioning the policy.
But the decision to prohibit only gay men - not gay women - from giving blood comes from the federal government not local blood centers. The food and drug administration has banned gay men from donating since 1983, during the height of the Aids scare.
Will: I know this particular policy has been reviewed in recent years, and there's a push to review it again.
You can count will as one of the people hoping to revise the rule.
Will: It's outdated. I really feel the FDA needs to revisit this law and join us in the new millennium.
Especially in a day and age where there are constant shortages of blood. Will believes it's time to recognize gay men as an untapped resource.
Will: A high population of homosexuals wants to donate blood are safe and monogamous.
Sounds like the pedophile who couldn't understand why they turned him down for that job in the day-care center.
"Let's see....anyone want to get a blood transfusion from a blood bank that takes blood from gay men? Anyone??"
That's not the right standard and would lead to all kinds of discrimination.
The proper justification, I think, is that gay men have the highest HIV rate, after intravenous drug addicts(who also should not donate.)
I guess he's never been to a bloodbank. That question is nothing new...
Well oiled machine- Bleccchhh!
"Will: I was in shock more than anything. I just couldn't believe it."
believe it, Will. Your filthy anus is a recepticle for bugs that don't belong in the human gut. No one wants what you have.
Sorta like taking blood from a chicken these days.
Reported by Craig Stevens
Craig Stevens co-anchors 7NEWS at 5, 6, 10, and 11pm weeknights. He was promoted in July 2001, after anchoring the 5:30pm and 6:30pm newscasts. Craig left us for a brief stint in 1997 to work as an anchor/reporter at our Boston sister-station, NBC affiliate WHDH-TV. He returned to South Florida in 1999.
Craig lives in Miami with his black lab "Jack."
Liberals needing transfusions should be allowed to specify that they want only GLBT-friendly blood, and not that icky discriminatory hepatitis- and Aids-free stuff.
Everything is filthy on a sodomite.
Will: I was turned down because I was gay. I was told that was why I could not donate blood.
Where on earth has this man been - would he accept blood from a gay doner?
I have MS, and I can't donate...even though there is no reason to believe that MS is a blood borne disease. But since they don't really know what causes it, they won't let MSers donate, just in case it might have its cause in some virus as yet unidentified, and possibly passed along through blood.
Will wants to donate, not because he wants to help people, but to satisfy his own ego. If he wanted to help society, he would be out promoting something useful, like celibacy for pickle-sniffers.
OK, that was enough for me.
"I have MS, and I can't donate...even though there is no reason to believe that MS is a blood borne disease. But since they don't really know what causes it, they won't let MSers donate, just in case it might have its cause in some virus as yet unidentified, and possibly passed along through blood."
I'm sorry to hear that. I had no idea the restrcition would extend like that. If MS were in any way contagious you would think that couples would be likely to both have it.
Yes, another good point. My point about the patient being able to determine the value of his care is also valid.
heheheeeeee
I was in Panama. There are "safe" zones in Panama. However, if you go into the jungle, no donations FOR A FULL YEAR.
Now, it didn't matter that I flew, by helicopter, onto one little mountainside for a half hour to look at wreckage. I got rejected.
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