[net.motss] Reply to Byron Howes

arndt@lymph.DEC (10/05/84)

Where do I start??

Glad you said that my statement to the effect that Aids is "homosexually
vectored" is SOMEWHAT imprecise!  Because it's not imprecise by much if
at all.  "Intermingling of blood", yes but not from bumping into each other,
unless . . . (but I'm trying to change).  It's not the fact of transfusions
(the act) that causes Aids!  I get Aids from a carrier who donated blood.
The carriers are identified as . . . (fill in the blanks).  You seem to be
saying pouring blood causes Aids!  "Aids is transmitted through the inter-
mingling of blood supply as might happen with transfusion."

By the way, Aids is also transmitted through semen and some feel through
saliva.

What does "YOUR assertions notwithstanding, Aids is a potentially serious
problem to the entire population . . . " mean??  The point of my postings
was that very fact!!!

Where do you read my "smug assurance" of my own safety??

I see it was late when you posted so I can only assume you were down to
your last toke before you fell off your chair for the night.

Why would my "smugness" frighten you??

You do have a reason to be frightened.  Tonight on the NBC nightly noise
there was an extended (180 sec.- so it was a heavy topic) piece on children
with Aids.  About 70 so far, with hundreds more projected.  They highlighted
the problems of one little boy under sentence of death (are you SURE that
homosexuals are not responsible just a little - even those not promiscuous
but who fail to speak out against fellow gays who are?) who was rejected 
out of fear by the school system where the doctors said he was safe to go.
Administrators and parents freaked out.  NO way.  "I'll take my child out."

Hey, it's getting bigger by the minute.  You've got to do more than raise
funds, teach each other to check for sores first and man hotlines.  Hint:
You've got to speak to fellow gays about behavior patterns (which might
entail relooking at "lifestyles" ((baths, bars, etc.))).

How about looking at the "sexual revolution"?  Remember the young Aids
victim I quoted as saying, "We were told that sex was liberating and more
sex was more liberating."

Rich Johnson I believe it was, whines about, "what ever happened to 'do your
own thing?'"  It never was.  One person alone to the limits of nature but
not in a society.  That's the reason for government.  Laws.

Another, Gerber, asks "am I my brother (homosexual's) keeper?"  What a waste-
land if the answer to that is no!!

As Aids and it's cost get bigger the public is going to look for SCAPEGOATS!
Guess who?  Think all those nice pols are going to help you then?

So rather than marching with Sister Boom Boom and the Children's Crusade
you should be marching the other way!  Dump the freaks before they drag -:
you down with them.  Of course by dump them I mean their positions.

Hey, guess what.  There goes the last of the wine and I'm leaning over too
far to straighten up.  Hope my wife finds me in the morning.

Bye

Ken Arndt

bch@mcnc.UUCP (Byron Howes) (10/06/84)

>Where do I start??

A pre-frontal lobotomy would be a good place.

>Glad you said that my statement to the effect that Aids is "homosexually
>vectored" is SOMEWHAT imprecise!  Because it's not imprecise by much if
>at all.  "Intermingling of blood", yes but not from bumping into each other,
>unless . . . (but I'm trying to change).  It's not the fact of transfusions
>(the act) that causes Aids!  I get Aids from a carrier who donated blood.
>The carriers are identified as . . . (fill in the blanks).  You seem to be
>saying pouring blood causes Aids!  "Aids is transmitted through the inter-
>mingling of blood supply as might happen with transfusion."
>By the way, Aids is also transmitted through semen and some feel through
>saliva.

Precisely what I was trying to indicate, Kenny.  AIDS is serum-vectored
not 'homosexual vectored.'  Among the other ailments that are carried
this way are certain forms of hepatitis, mononucleosis, and a large variety
of more common infections.  The first identifiable breakout just happens
to have been in the gay population.  It could have as easily been among
drug addicts, pro football players or army privates.  The first instances
of Bubonic plague were recorded among sailors in the 13th Century.  That
doesn't mean they were in any sense responsible for it.  Was the American
Legion responsible for Legionaire's Disease?

>What does "YOUR assertions notwithstanding, Aids is a potentially serious
>problem to the entire population . . . " mean??  The point of my postings
>was that very fact!!!

It seems clear to me that the point of your postings is to try to place
blame.  That doesn't help anyone who happens to contract AIDS and it
certainly doesn't protect either of us.  Do you have anything constructive
to offer?  If so, I missed it in the smart *ss comments.

>I see it was late when you posted so I can only assume you were down to
>your last toke before you fell off your chair for the night.
 
Just 'cause your mommy makes you go to bed right after 'The A-Team'
doesn't mean the rest of us work that way, Kenny.

>Why would my "smugness" frighten you??
 
>You do have a reason to be frightened.  Tonight on the NBC nightly noise
>there was an extended (180 sec.- so it was a heavy topic) piece on children
>with Aids.  About 70 so far, with hundreds more projected.  They highlighted
>the problems of one little boy under sentence of death (are you SURE that
>homosexuals are not responsible just a little - even those not promiscuous
>but who fail to speak out against fellow gays who are?) who was rejected 
>out of fear by the school system where the doctors said he was safe to go.
>Administrators and parents freaked out.  NO way.  "I'll take my child out."
 
So what are YOU going to do about it?  If AIDS is in the general population
then it is a public health problem and everyone's responsibility.  What
are you trying to do?  From the tone and content of your postings all I
can gather is that you are asking gays to take it back!  The smugness
that frightens me is that you seem to think you are somehow immune.
I got news for you.  Viruses mutate.  It's what they do.  That's how
the disease got here in the first place according to some.  Should
this bug 'decide' to become airborne then we're all in a heap o' trouble
and no amount of screaming that 'the gays did it' is going to get us 
out of that trouble.

>Hey, it's getting bigger by the minute.  You've got to do more than raise
>funds, teach each other to check for sores first and man hotlines.  Hint:
>You've got to speak to fellow gays about behavior patterns (which might
>entail relooking at "lifestyles" ((baths, bars, etc.))).
 
>How about looking at the "sexual revolution"?  Remember the young Aids
>victim I quoted as saying, "We were told that sex was liberating and more
>sex was more liberating."
>
>Rich Johnson I believe it was, whines about, "what ever happened to 'do your
>own thing?'"  It never was.  One person alone to the limits of nature but
>not in a society.  That's the reason for government.  Laws.
>
>Another, Gerber, asks "am I my brother (homosexual's) keeper?"  What a waste-
>land if the answer to that is no!!
 
Isn't this all a little like locking the barn door after the horses have
escaped?  I went through the sexual revolution and never even caught cold.
My experience doesn't mean a d*mn thing either.  We agree that AIDS is
a tragedy, now WHAT ARE YOU AND I GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

>As Aids and it's cost get bigger the public is going to look for SCAPEGOATS!
>Guess who?  Think all those nice pols are going to help you then?
 
>So rather than marching with Sister Boom Boom and the Children's Crusade
>you should be marching the other way!  Dump the freaks before they drag -:
>you down with them.  Of course by dump them I mean their positions.
 
That's why I'm  bothering to reply to you.  Dumping the freaks before they
drag me down with them.  I got little use for someone who sits in corners
and rants and raves, gleefully pointing out victims with a singular lack
of compassion, but hasn't the desire to do something constructive.

>Hey, guess what.  There goes the last of the wine and I'm leaning over too
>far to straighten up.  Hope my wife finds me in the morning.
 
Try going on the wagon.

-- 

						Byron C. Howes
				          {decvax|akgua}!mcnc!ecsvax!bch