nachtspiegel
December 21st, 2008, 03:32 AM
Do you know much about it?
Hopefully, every member on VT knows what it is, along with every other STD (and ways to catch them, symptoms, etc.)
If you don't, I recommend that you visit TeenWire.com and Wikipedia.org.
Anyway, I've been doing a lot of reading lately, about all kinds of controversial subjects. I looked up HIV/AIDS to learn more about it, and realized that new cases are increasing at an alarming rate.
I decided to look it up after a prompt from someone I know. They made a joke about why I'm not like every other teenage boy in my neighborhood "out chasing ass" and I replied with "I don't want to catch something - especially something that I cannot get rid of, because that would be my luck - or become a father at sixteen. I couldn't rightfully provide that the child the life it'd undoubtedly deserve from me."
I'm not going to be like so many other selfish people out here that are screwing around without caring what they might spread or who they might get pregnant (or, if they might become pregnant.) Those people are not thinking about anyone but themselves, in my honest opinion.
Anyway, back to my point...
I got a reply of "the only things you can't get rid of are Herpes and HIV. And if you knock a bitch up, just don't talk to her again."
(Before getting back to topic, I want to add that I went on to explain that "not talking to the bitch again" when you're responsible, or very well could be, is one of the most selfish, immature, and self-centered things that a man can do.)
I drove the HIV point as if I were beating the horse to death, and at that point, I decided to research it more. I was already reading a book with testimonies in it (that I mentioned, oddly enough, in another thread) and I went along with my usual mindset on pretty much everything - the more I know, the better off I am.
The CDC (and these rates are for the 50 American states and the District of Columbia) states that from 1981 to 2006 that there have been almost a million people diagnosed with HIV.
More than half of these people are dead, and I imagine, as a random shot in the dark, that most of the people that are living with the disease today have either only been diagnosed in the past five to ten years, or they're extremely fortunate (such as Magic Johnson) and can afford revolutionary treatments.
I forsee this becoming a bigger problem. Big enough for it to become a household idea. Not everyone has been either directly or indirectly affected by this. I bet that I even know a few people that would be like "what the fuck is that?" if I brought it up. Hell, the closest person I know of to die from it is my sister-in-law's cousin, who died several years ago in agony.
It's not only sad that something as beautiful and natural as sex can now cost you your life, but it's sad that so many people are becoming infected.
I think that more research needs to be done. Even if a cure isn't in our near future, prevention and education can save lives.
What do you think?
Hopefully, every member on VT knows what it is, along with every other STD (and ways to catch them, symptoms, etc.)
If you don't, I recommend that you visit TeenWire.com and Wikipedia.org.
Anyway, I've been doing a lot of reading lately, about all kinds of controversial subjects. I looked up HIV/AIDS to learn more about it, and realized that new cases are increasing at an alarming rate.
I decided to look it up after a prompt from someone I know. They made a joke about why I'm not like every other teenage boy in my neighborhood "out chasing ass" and I replied with "I don't want to catch something - especially something that I cannot get rid of, because that would be my luck - or become a father at sixteen. I couldn't rightfully provide that the child the life it'd undoubtedly deserve from me."
I'm not going to be like so many other selfish people out here that are screwing around without caring what they might spread or who they might get pregnant (or, if they might become pregnant.) Those people are not thinking about anyone but themselves, in my honest opinion.
Anyway, back to my point...
I got a reply of "the only things you can't get rid of are Herpes and HIV. And if you knock a bitch up, just don't talk to her again."
(Before getting back to topic, I want to add that I went on to explain that "not talking to the bitch again" when you're responsible, or very well could be, is one of the most selfish, immature, and self-centered things that a man can do.)
I drove the HIV point as if I were beating the horse to death, and at that point, I decided to research it more. I was already reading a book with testimonies in it (that I mentioned, oddly enough, in another thread) and I went along with my usual mindset on pretty much everything - the more I know, the better off I am.
The CDC (and these rates are for the 50 American states and the District of Columbia) states that from 1981 to 2006 that there have been almost a million people diagnosed with HIV.
More than half of these people are dead, and I imagine, as a random shot in the dark, that most of the people that are living with the disease today have either only been diagnosed in the past five to ten years, or they're extremely fortunate (such as Magic Johnson) and can afford revolutionary treatments.
I forsee this becoming a bigger problem. Big enough for it to become a household idea. Not everyone has been either directly or indirectly affected by this. I bet that I even know a few people that would be like "what the fuck is that?" if I brought it up. Hell, the closest person I know of to die from it is my sister-in-law's cousin, who died several years ago in agony.
It's not only sad that something as beautiful and natural as sex can now cost you your life, but it's sad that so many people are becoming infected.
I think that more research needs to be done. Even if a cure isn't in our near future, prevention and education can save lives.
What do you think?