Right, I've decided to make this my last post because I'm getting fed-up of some of the ridiculous strawman fallacies being not so subtlety aimed in my direction.
1. "it's just like the AIDS propaganda of the 80's!"
Seriously? you're comparing the fact that I pointed out that there's no conclusive, 100% solid backing to this to the openly homophobic campaign of the 80's?
Yes, of course, "please just use a condom and wait for a better understanding of the disease" = "GAYS ARE DISEASE RIDDEN BASTARDS."
"As time has progressed, science has found that HIV is not as easily transmitted as once thought. There are many theories for this, and to discuss them could take pages not a few paragraphs. "
And I never made a claim to the contrary. My STATEMENT was that it is still transmissible and that all available precautions to avoid contracting it should be taken. It is perfectly possible to have safe, enjoyable sex with someone who is HIV positive. And guess what? due to the CURRENT LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING OF HIV, CONDOMS ARE THE SAFEST OPTION. That isn't "scaremongering", Condoms are just really damn effective. Not a massive amount of fun to wear by my own admission, but their practicality and safety make them a prime choice.
"When I was single, I never hesitated to date or have sex with HIV sero positive individuals in any way. I did make some modifications as to what I would do or how I would do it with a person who was sero-positive, and it was for that persons protection as well as for my own. "
Which is the responsible thing to do and what I have been advocating. Safe sex.
"Today, there are so many things that are far more fearsome than HIV, and far more easy to transmit between people."
Yes, yes there are. However these things are not part of the topic, making that statement moot.
" The people who are now losing their lives to this are losing them because they do not make any effort to lead healthy lives. They stay out to all hours, they consume enough alcohol to cloud their judgement especially about their dosages of HIV medications or even remembering to take them, they use other recreational drugs, and they make little effort to insure that the medical issues they have are cared for in anything resembling common sense. This is particularly true of individuals with alcohol or drug problems. "
Whilst that is true in some cases it is entirely unfair to make it a blanket statement. Some people still die of AIDS because even with medication their bodies just can't take it. What you said is by its nature grossly offensive to said people. It doesn't matter if that's even a handful of people, As someone who claims rather ambiguously to have worked "in and around medicine" I'm quite surprised to see something like that in there.
" If you work in research, you get your research grants and your dollars based on what you publish. Remember, with a research grant, nobody has to guarantee that what you publish is 100% accurate. What you have to do to continue your research is to get something out there that provokes thought. "
Whilst cynical this is also unfortunately true. This is how things like the Wakefield study I mentioned happen, and why I am sceptical of lone studies.
"The best weapon against infection from any STD is the two brains located within the two skulls of the two people about to engage in an act of sex. It is that simple. Think with the head on your shoulders not the one between your legs"
In other words. TAKE PRECAUTIONS. LIKE, YAKNOW, CONDOMS N' STUFF? YEAH?
