[Alter Kaker]

HIV/AIDS can be prevented by self-control. And then I made some points you seem to agree with (many diseases are preventable with a little prevention). I’m glad we agree.

I think the biggest push should be on prevention: educating people about HIV/AIDS and about how they can prevent or limit transmission, just as I agree we should teach kids to eat right, exercise and warn them about the dangers of smoking.

But any time you have 40 million already infected, for whom that news is too late, I think you have to do something more to help find treatments and/or a cure. We do that for people suffering from other preventable diseases -- like lung cancer, the common cold and heart disease -- and we do it for HIV/AIDS. I see nothing wrong in that.

[Judith Anne]

Any idea how much money is devoted to research for a CURE for lung cancer, vs a CURE for HIV?

I have news for you: HIV outranks them all. Why? What’s makes the sexual lifestyle choice more “special” than the other diseases, like, for instance, breast cancer?

[panaxanax]

ALter Kaker, Your concern about HIV/AIDS “victims” is misguided. The answers you seek lie within your questions. It's simple if you just listen and use common sense.

With the exception of people exposed via transfusions or hospital errors, those infected with HIV/AIDS are not “victims”, they are stupid perverts that prey on our male children.

Even you must remember when smoking and drinking was advertised in every magazine, movies, radio and on TV as being the “cool” thing to do. Medical knowledge was limited at that time and the jury was still out on whether these activities were actually the cause of the diseases of the liver and lungs. HIV/AIDS has always been associated with perverted gay sex, i.e. “gay cancer” back in the late 70’s.

The government charges taxes on every pack of cigarettes and every bottle of booze. The government does not charge a tax on every time some rump ranger “gets lucky”. Yuch. Anyway, my point is that smokers have paid trillions in FEDERAL TAXES throughout the years, drinkers have done the same. If some of that money is used for treatment of smoking/drinking diseases, then so be it. Look at the taxes paid over a smokers lifetime as sort of an insurance policy. They lent money to the government, now they want some of it back.

There is no reason for us “normal people” to suffer increased life/health insurance rates because of the actions of the perverted sick behavior that is known to spread this dreaded disease to other like-minded sickos.

You can throw all the money that has ever been printed at trying to find a cure for HIV/AIDS and the goal will never be met. Contracting the HIV/AIDS virus and dying from it is the only cure. It will cleanse itself from this planet if it is allowed to eliminate those prone to such behavior that allows it to spread. I've said this before and caught all hell from some FReepers who questioned my morals and compassion. I have no compassion for HIV/AIDS “victims” because they are not “victims”!

Keeping them alive at the taxpayers expense is equal to keeping rabid dogs alive to run through the neighborhoods and school grounds biting and infecting our children with rabies. It just doesn't make sense. And before you ask, yes, I do know people with HIV/AIDS and they admit they brought it on themselves through careless drug use (dirty needles) and promiscuous sexual encounters.

[cake_crumb]

"I think the biggest push should be on prevention: educating people about HIV/AIDS and about how they can prevent or limit transmission, just as I agree we should teach kids to eat right, exercise and warn them about the dangers of smoking."

Every argument you have given so far educating people in preventing AIDS is futile, because behavior isn't a factor.