Hope.

6:11 PM Michael 0 Comments

Today is World Aids Day. I suppose the smallest part I can do is urge an understanding that AIDS does not discriminate whether one is male, female, his or her age, religious background, lifestyle, or orientation. And it's constantly searching. There are now approx. 33.4 million people living with HIV, including 2.5 million children.
 The District of Columbia crisis has been classified as an "epidemic rate of infection" with 3 percent of D.C. residents older than 12 living with HIV or AIDS overall rating higher in infection than West Africa. Can you image the size of West Africa compared to a non-state? So why does this and world aids day matter? Well, it is obviously a WORLD crisis. Not only does it affect third world countries where not only access to care is scarce, but people are simply not getting treatment expanding to the capital of one of the most powerful countries in the world, America where ideas of care can be fathomed. So why else should you care? Well let's say we wiped out the largest hit aids populations: Gay and Bisexual Men, minorities (AIDS is the number one killer of black women between the ages of 25 and 34) then there would be no one left in the world. OBVIOUSLY I'm being dramatic and no such thing is happening nor is every gay male or minority affected. But the only true, true reason I can give is simply because this is another matter of life and death. And death really shouldn't have to be an option. 
A world AIDS day offers the idea of hope, especially when there doesn't seem to be one.  Too, too many people are suffering. And all though our world isn't in a very good position, just like the olympics or "World Idol", Hope is a great unifier. 

 Credit:
Avert.org
Americanprogress.org
Aids.about.com
USAtoday.com