I am indebted to Susan for giving the links to a couple of bloggers that we both admire, who took the time to post about National AIDS Day.  I first went to Gianna Kali's site, then I pootled over to Hymes.  They both are fierce writers, but used visuals to bring home their points.

I also went back to the BloggersUnite site, to see who else participated.  Here is a link to the comments made by participating bloggers.  If you scroll down, you will see the links to each post submitted by the authors.  I tried to copy and paste them, but I iz not schmart enuff!

Please find the time to read at least one post.  It is likely to enrich your life.  Amongst the bloggers is a talented and famous pop star.  Yes, I am not above sensational and salacious details!

I have lost friends to AIDS, one of whom committed suicide.  He was a dermatologist in the eighties.  His practice became too much for him to bear.  He thought he'd be taking care of spots, blemishes and other skin troubles.  He ended up with patients presenting with Kaposi Sarcoma and other AIDS related issues.  In the end, it was too much.  I'm not sure if he found out he was HIV positive, but it doesn't matter.  AIDS took the life of this gentle, compassionate, caring and talented young doctor.

I did the 250 miles AIDS ride from Philly to Harrisburg to Washington.  It was gut wrenching, with climbs referred to as "rolling hills", my fat arse on a mountain bike, sleeping in pup tents the two nights after each one hundred miles and amazing people from all walks of life.

When we fail to inform our youth about the very real risks of sharing needles, of unprotected sex, we are participants in their actions and the consequences.  I know that it is almost impossible to stop the use of intravenous drugs, to stop our youth from being sexually active and to make them listen to words of wisdom.  However, if we fail to acknowledge their behavior, if we tell them to simply say "no", then we are as Emus, burying our heads in the sand.

It is a living nightmare when a loved one becomes addicted to intravenous drugs, when our children become, if not sexually aware, but sexually active.  But we need to step up.  In most cases, these problems are born of kids who have underlying psych issues, which can only be helped with frank and open discourse.  Try it.  Then try it again and again.