This Just Doesn't Make Sense - Renaming an HIV/AIDS Bill
In an example of poor judgement to the highest degree, North Carolina's Republican Senator Elizabeth Dole has introduced an amendment that would rename the PEPFAR Bill currently heading to the House of Representatives after Dole's deceased predecessor Jesse Helms. Under normal circumstances, this would be a gesture of respect and gratitude for a life dedicated to servicing the people of the United States. But in the case of Jesse Helm's this amendment may be a bit misguided. After all, Mr. Helms did not have the most stellar record of fighting to help those living with HIV. In fact, the contrary is true. Here are some of Mr. Helm's more poignant quotes:- 1987 - Described AIDS prevention literature as "so obscene, so revolting, I may throw up."
1988 - Vigorously opposed the Kennedy-Hatch AIDS research bill, saying, "There is not one single case of AIDS in this country that cannot be traced in origin to sodomy."
1995 - In opposition of the Ryan White Act said that the government should spend less on people with AIDS because they got sick due to their "deliberate, disgusting, revolting conduct."
2002 - Announced that he'd changed his mind about AIDS funding for Africa, but not for American gays, because homosexuality "is the primary cause of the doubling and redoubling of AIDS cases in the United States."
Luckily, more rational minds prevailed - the Bill passed without the name change. What was Ms. Dole thinking?
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Mark,
In fact, Jesse Helms’ career was peppered with observations and decisions that would make many of us pause, take umbrage, outright question what on earth he could be thinking, or even make our toenails curl.
So perhaps, if the name change had passed, there would have been a just irony to it. In twenty years, when short memories no longer realized just how outrageous his beliefs were, he would have been credited with something that would make him turn over in his grave.
That said, I agree with you. I’m glad those more rational minds prevailed.
Trisha Torrey
About.com Guide to Patient Empowerment
http://patients.about.com
Trisha, your comment about Helms turning over in is grave is lovely
I just wish Congress members would turn their attention to their jobs, for example, all the details of living and managing that would really represent the people, rather than glorifying themselves and their friends with the time and taxpayer dollars they spend being in their positions.
All I can say to Elizabeth Dole is ROFL!
Politics: A profession in which egotists make their living by arguing about how to improve social and environmental conditions… without ever actually doing much about them.
Renaming the bill would have been a real farce for all the reasons detailed by other posters.
Elizabeth Dole should be embarrassed, if she has the sense to be.
Bwahaha. I think I’d better just leave it at that.
I think it is just crap. The bill should be left as it is. What should be changed is the way the funds are deviated into Africa. The struggle is on…we should fight HIV/AIDS.
funny enough they want to change the name and the money that they say it’s for HIV never reaches the people who really need it…Does that make any sense?
I agree and liked the comment about him rolling over in his grave. Paybacks are hell, perhaps he is also.
Just more proof that some of the biggest idiots in the United States have somehow escaped detection and got elected to public office. Renaming a bill doesn’t whitewash a lifetime of bigotry–his or yours, Mrs. Dole!