"Protecting the rights of even the least individual among us is basically the only excuse the government has for even existing." -Ronald Reagan
Hi Friends;
I saw this today on Milkboys' political roundup. It was an interesting article....on an issue of which I was completely in the dark. Did you know this was happening? Give your thoughts below.
http://www.queerty.com/for-hiv-positive-people-sex-carries-the-risk-of-imprisonment-sex-offender-charges-20111209/
While making his documentary about the media hysteria and unjust penalties behind HIV criminalization, Sean Strub, the founder of Poz Magazine, spoke with Nick Rhoades. Rhoades had an detectable viral load, used a condom and did not transmit HIV to his partner. But even still, a court sentenced him to 25 years for assault just because he had sex while HIV+.
He had to register as a sex offender every three months (child molesters have to register every six months). He couldn’t be around minors without their parents and had to wear a GPS ankle bracelet for 24 hour monitoring every day. He could not have any alcohol in the house, had to be home by midnight and couldn’t watch pornography. The police could search his computer whenever they liked and made him take psychological and phallometric tests where they gauged his reactions to different types of porn by putting a girth-measuring band around his penis.
Right now, 34 states and two U.S. territories currently have varying statutes that can penalize HIV+ people for potentially exposing others to the disease. In Rhoades’ home state of Iowa, an HIV+ person can get charged with assault and attempted murder for having consensual sex. In Michigan, an HIV+ man who bit someone in self-defense got charged with bioterrorism. And in Texas, an HIV+ man got 35 years in prison for spitting at a police officer.
In September U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee introduced the Repeal HIV Discrimination Act, a bill that could end HIV criminalization nationwide. Until then the justice system at large and the American media consider the millions of Americans with HIV as criminals just waiting to attack.
4 comments:
Hello Randy
I'd like to be able to say that this kind of thing would be 'unbelievable' in the 21st century, but, sadly, I'm not even that surprised. All part of the theocratic agenda to restrict the availability of sex to 'the righteous' - i.e., those in a one man, one woman 'Christian' marriage, preferably with no pleasure for the woman and the lights off, no doubt.
Love & best wishes
Sammy B
Hi Sammy;
I am feeling the effects of a flu or some such right now, so not really very clear headed...I'm going to let you all speak for me, for now. Thank you for doing so.
Does sound like fear mongering going far too far.
hugs;
randy.
Randy, My best and strongest get well thoughts for you. I will add my voice to yours. I heard once that all it takes for evil to win is for one good man to do nothing to stop it. I will join you in stopping this kind of evil, the evil of stupidity, the evil if bigotry, the evil or hatred. Let all our voice join together and let them ring though out the land.
As a health care worker I have to tell you that we have much stronger and more deadly things to fear than HIV. Yes it is not something we want anyone to have, but we know now how it is transmitted, and how it is not. These prosecution are motivated not in justice or truth, but in an agenda to hurt people. A man having consensual sex with his wife is put on age specific restrictions of sex offence? Makes no sense, not that any of it did.
Get well and strong soon. I am thinking of you. Hugs
Hi Scottie;
Doing better now...Tuesday... I started feeling better about 1:00 this morning, and now feel pretty good. Don't know what it was, but at 4:00 my asst. went home sick. So, it seems to be going around.
There was a man who once told an entire country, an entire world even, that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Where is that man when we need him? He was a man that knew that progress was made not by doing things as they were done 50 years ago, but working toward new things and meeting the needs of the citizens. It seems like we now thrive on fear, need it, want it to rule our lives now. And, I am somewhat guilty of this, too.... we are not happy with things as they are, but so afraid of the unknown that we'll accept any injustice in order to be predictable.
I'm sad and embarrassed by such laws and ruling of our courts, and even more so by those who "represent" us.
hugs;
randy.
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