Elton John Blasts Tony Blair on AIDS Prevention

Reuters ^ | May 20, 2002 | Reuters

[ejdrapes]

Elton John Blasts Blair on AIDS Prevention

Mon May 20,12:20 PM ET

LONDON (Reuters) - Elton John, one of Tony Blair's most prominent showbiz supporters, said the British prime minister should be "thoroughly ashamed" of his government's record on AIDS prevention.

In an interview with Sky News broadcast on Monday, the flamboyant entertainer said he was "disgusted" with what he saw as a failure by Blair and the government to do more in the fight against AIDS.

"They should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. I hate to say that, because I did vote for them, but I'm disgusted with the way the health service in England is operating," said John, whose own AIDS foundation has funneled 24 million pounds into treatment and prevention over the past decade.

Globally about 25 million people have lost their lives to the disease.

The singer, granted a knighthood in 1998 for his charitable work, said on the sidelines of the Vienna Life Ball -- one of Europe's biggest AIDS charity galas -- it was a "disgrace" that government funding had fallen.

"We (in Britain) had a great record on AIDS when we started but that record is now not as good as it was under the Thatcher government. You should be ashamed of yourselves -- you're socialists or supposed to be," he said referring to Blair and his Labor government.

Downing Street, while praising the singer for his AIDS work, said it was not true government spending against the disease had fallen.

"Obviously the prime minister respects enormously the commitment of Elton John to fighting AIDS and the work that he has done," Blair's spokesman told reporters.

But he added he wanted to correct some facts.

"Far from cutting funding for HIV (news - web sites)/AIDS treatment, care has actually increased year on year," he said.

The spokesman gave details of government figures showing NHS spending on AIDS care rose from 251.9 million in 1997/1998 to 331.0 million in 2001/2002.

[Phantom Lord]

The AIDS virus doesnt 'prefer' any group of people over others. Groups of people 'prefer' activities that makes for easy transmission of the virus.

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

I think we should get rid of AIDS and call it gay cancer like they use to

[TADSLOS]

He's a homo (present tense).

[AppyPappy]

You can't be a homo and still be attracted to the opposite sex.

He's a pervert.

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

yes I know the virus is non discrimitory you just phrased it better

[Aggie Mama]

But God forbid we spend our money the way we want to. The government can do it better for us.

[Clint N. Suhks]

Because as we all know, being sexually attracted exclusively to persons of the same gender is what causes AIDS.

Yep. Wrong behavior “is what causes AIDS”.

[TADSLOS]

OK, he's a perverted homo.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Elton John, who through his lifestyle, has probably spread more AIDS than any living rock star, has no right to criticize Blair the socialist.

Amazing, isn't it, how the behavior-based diseases are the ones governments are supposed to give attention??

[Dimensio]

Are you saying that AIDS does not predominantly affect homosexuals, or that homosexual activity is not the major cause of the spread of AIDS in Western countries? If so, you are dead wrong.

No, I was using sarcasm to illustrate the point that behaviour spreads AIDS, not sexual orientation.

A homosexual who never has sex with someone who is infected will probably not become infected.

Yes, I'm aware that homosexual males have a higher rate of infection because they have a higher rate of risk behaviour. That doesn't mean that it's their orientation causing it.

[Dimensio]

Elton John, who through his lifestyle, has probably spread more AIDS than any living rock star

I wasn't aware that Elton John had AIDS. Any info on this?

[Dakmar]

Of course their orientation cannot cause AIDS, but it does lead them to behaviours that do. If someone chooses to have promiscuous sex with multiple random partners, I really don't see it as societies role to protect them from themselves. I view the situtation much the same as the war on drugs: If some idiot wants to load up on herion and turn blue and die, no amount of societal intervention is going to stop them, so we should cut our losses and quit wasting time and money on people who are foolishly risking their lives.

[Dimensio]

If someone chooses to have promiscuous sex with multiple random partners, I really don't see it as societies role to protect them from themselves.

Neither do I. I'm just rather pedantic and I like to point out that homosexuality isn't what spreads AIDS, it's stupidity...it just so happens that a disproportionate number of homosexual men are apparently stupid.

[Dakmar]

I would say more compulsive/neurotic than actually stupid, but we can save that for another time.

[Recovering_Democrat]

I can see how my previous post might be interpreted as saying EJ has AIDS. I didn't mean to imply such a thought. My emphasis was on his lifestyle and the behavior associated with the same.

I'll try to be more clear next time. :)

[HELLRAISER II]

It's really that simple isn't it. What do the homosexuals of the world want, the govt. tells them not to have unprotected sex with their partners and just like you said they poke things where they don't belong. What does the dumb SOB want Blair to do.

[OldFriend]

Mr. John....here is some foolproof, FREE, AIDS Prevention. KEEP YOUR ZIPPER ZIPPED!

[Psycho_Bunny]

You know, if we treated AIDS like we treated other completely preventable health problems, i.e. smoking, or drugs, we'd have public services anouncments showing a man at deaths door from AIDS with a concerned and serious voice-over saying something like "This is what happens to butt-monkeys. Be cool. Stick with chicks."

Oh wait...that wouldn't fit The Agenda. Sorry.