HIV/AIDS: “Our rates are higher than West Africa”
I don’t really have much to say about this article*, but if you’re a D.C. resident or just know someone in the District, inform yourself and spread the word.
At least 3 percent of District residents have HIV or AIDS, a total that far surpasses the 1 percent threshold that constitutes a “generalized and severe” epidemic, according to a report scheduled to be released by health officials tomorrow.
That translates into 2,984 residents per every 100,000 over the age of 12–or 15,120–according to the 2008 epidemiology report by the District’s HIV/AIDS office.
Actually, I do have one thing to say about the Washington Post. While I’m glad this was the lead story in Sunday’s paper, I really wish they–and all news sites, really–would stop allowing non-moderated comments on their online articles. I don’t need to see this kind of ignorance and hate being spewed forth on the internet. Especially since their own discussion guidelines supposedly forbid it.
* Of the people surveyed, 30% used a condom the last time they had sex. 30%?! WTF, people?
I really wish they–and all news sites, really–would stop allowing non-moderated comments on their online articles. I don’t need to see this kind of ignorance and hate being spewed forth on the internet.
And this is why I don’t bother reading the comments on most “news” sites. To its credit though, at least WaPo doesn’t present the comments upfront; you have to click through to see them, so ignoring them there is fairly simple.
latest entry: The McGangBang
That article is disturbing on many levels. That 30% of people not using condoms was from a study that only questioned heterosexuals. I think this sentence… But the report also cautions that “we know that the true number of residents currently infected and living with HIV is certainly higher.” is one of the most important in the whole article.
I’ve never read the comments before. They’re almost as disturbing as the story itself. It’s so sad that being open minded enough to have faith in the intangible means being so closed off to the tangible.
latest entry: It sure explains a lot
I agree that the news is disturbing and the reader comments are even more upsetting. I look at it like this, whenever people say homophobia or racisim [or insert ‘ism here] is no longer an issue, I look at those comments as proof positive that they are WRONG.
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