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To the Editors: Re: “Six ideas for the next president” (op-ed by Brent Minor, April 11)
Brent Minor hit the mark with his six ideas for the next president. He is so right that we have “lost our focus about AIDS in this country.” The domestic epidemic is part of the global epidemic and should be addressed with the same tenacity and focus as the work being done outside our borders.
It is a travesty that the HIV infection rate is worse in some communities in the U.S. than in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa; it is tragic that AIDS is the No. 1 cause of death in this country for black women ages 25-34; and it’s unacceptable that HIV has for 27 years been the most serious health threat to gay men.
More than 200 AIDS and gay organizations from all over the country are calling on the next president to develop a national AIDS strategy for the U.S. similar to what is required of other countries that receive U.S. funding. The strategy should be designed to bring down HIV infection rates, increase access to life-saving care and reduce racial disparities. It must set measurable outcomes, timetables and accountabilities.
Your readers can state their support for this initiative by visiting www.NationalAIDSstrategy.org and signing the call to action. Both leading Democratic candidates have committed to creating a national AIDS strategy and outreach has been made to the Republican candidate.
Our voices must be heard to ensure that domestic AIDS issues are included in both party platforms and addressed by all candidates for office.
Washington
Editors’ note: The writer is executive director of the AIDS Action Council.
To the Editors: Re: “Six ideas for the next president” (op-ed by Brent Minor, April 11)
In his article on the six actions that the next president should consider to fight HIV/AIDS in the United States, Brent Minor forgot one significant, but extremely important action necessary for reducing the number of new infections in America: removing the ban on the use of federal funding for syringe exchange programs.
While the rates of new infections in the U.S. have declined since the early years of the epidemic, HIV transmission through needle sharing is still a significant problem. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 19 percent of the 485,020 adults and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS by the end of 2006 had been exposed through injection drug use.
In D.C., 24 percent of adults and adolescents living with AIDS by the end of 2006 had been exposed through injection drug use.
There is overwhelming scientific evidence that syringe exchange programs dramatically reduce rates of HIV infection, do not increase drug use and are an effective link to critical health services, including drug treatment programs. Lifting the ban on the use of federal funds for syringe exchange would increase our ability and flexibility to respond to the HIV prevention needs in our communities.
Any vision for comprehensive HIV prevention in the United States must include removal of the federal ban for syringe exchange. American lives depend on it.
Washington
Editors’ note: The writer is acting director of public policy for amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research.
To the Editors:
Re: “Army: source of Wikipedia edit on gay soldier can’t be traced” (news, April 17)
The IP address on this Wikipedia deletion was left visible by the Army’s intelligence division?!
Chicago
To the Editors: Re: “The audacity of hate” (guest editorial by Christopher Barron, March 28)
Christopher Barron’s diatribe against Barack Obama only shows why this country needs a new approach to politics. After 16 years of the Clinton/Bush partisan battles a leader who is truly bipartisan and who energizes the general public is our only chance for meaningful change.
Barron should face up to the fact that his Republican friends want to deny his civil rights, family rights and personal freedoms — not to mention that they won’t give him job protections or let him serve in the military because of his sexual orientation.
Sure, they tolerate GLB (T deliberately dropped) support through the Log Cabin Republicans — as long as they stay quiet and well behaved and don’t expect any real changes.
I hope that Blade readers focus on actions and on detailed policy commitments from our presidential candidates ...
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