Kezzy, I’m not trying to be hard on you. After reading what Bill said about being frustrated, I sincerely apologize if I came across as someone who didn’t care.

I’m just saying that “Aids, is not an African-American thing only” and I would like to see really how they come up with these stats. You see there is never a serious topic in America that we can’t put race and racism in the equation. That’s just how the racist wants us to think, that it’s all in our heads. That we should be happy with the stats, that they put out. I stand by what I said. I do, because I’m a person who can pass for white and I do sometimes just to hear what the others have to say.

What’s crazy is some people have not a clue I’m African-American. I’m tired of defending African-Americans against bias, and then proceeding to tell our community what I’ve learn, heard, for me to get such response, and being called crazy.

What amaze me is how some people are willing, and I mean eager to be “Uncle Tom” today. Because you came off so aggressive to Aseya, you are the typical person “the man” would target to attack other blacks. Your words were such rage, and, basically they would build you up to say we are all “equal” and “let’s be glad” and happy, they are trying to help us. LOL!

If that was the case, why go all the way to Iraq, to a people who didn’t ask you for help to free them. When you have children in the inner cities that need “freedom” too.
They need freedom to equal education, healthcare, to be treated like little people that will one day rule this country. That’s what “freedom” is.

Let’s get equal education totally and then do a stats; then we can talk about this percentage and that. African-American need to worry about this, and other things too. If you don’t like how you are treated and disrespected in your neighborhoods, then put the people out of business. How can you complain about how Koreans treat you so badly, yet, addicted to their hair? lol! Their business rely on you, so, if you don’t do business with them and go to another store. They would be force to go out of business or respect you.

Again, I’m not one for the “mad scientist myth” because truly the one or governments who made AIDS, weren’t mad at all. We have to remember according to some people;”Africans, Gays, and Lesbians are subhuman and not worth wasting our time on. I know they would love to see away with the both groups, for which, none is going anywhere until it’s time. To some government and people, Africans and GL equal the same and they could care less if both or gone off the planet. So “mad scientist” nope, don’t believe in it. He is or was quite “intelligent” so he thought.

My statement was about the stats and not that it doesn’t exist; only it’s not a particular African-American thing as reported.

I hope you feel me! Peace out!

It is True the media doesn’t help promoting safe sex with the videos, shows like maury and worse letting that hot ass Britney spears sister still have a show on nickoldeon. But when you look at it We the community and parents are the true role models.
I don’t think the parents of kids of this generation have even had the “talk” with the their kids.
More than anything we should be telling our kids these people on TV are not real. They are playing “roles” wheter they are in videos or not. They have to portrary a certain image because its in their job description.
I am a mother of a 9 year old girl and I aint simply telling her sex is no good or wait till your married.
I am telling her SEX FEELS GOOD BUT IT CAN KILL YOU. Because that is the truth- this flesh that we have is a gift but it can also be a deadly weapon.
There are children that have these diseases through the parents and don’t even know it. And these days they are experimenting earlier then they were before.
We are the educators We are the role models
Other people are simply influences. We are the ones that got to Educate them early and make sure they make the right descisions and leave the door open so they can come talk to us when they need to.
Me and my BFF already discuss bringing our YOUNG ladies to this hospital/hospice care where they can see the effects of people dying of AIDS and Cancer- simply so they can see where being irresponsible (in some cases) with your body can get you.

Hmmm…………

To Kezzy: No, I’m actually not stupid, thank you very much. If I were a different kind of person I’d be offended by what you said. But I’m not at all. Does that bother you? We don’t know eachother and you have a right to your angry opinion That’s all I have to say to you.

To the other folks, in no shape or form am I trying to dismiss that STD’s is a huge problem in our community. It is. I’ve had 2 family members die from AIDS. I know many people who have had STD’s at one time or another. This is not an absract idea.

But I’ve also worked in clinics and nonprofits for 10 years. Do you really think the government cares about us so much??? “Hey lets warn the little Black girls!! They’re in trouble!!” Whatever. The intention, like I said, is to hurt, not HELP.

I asked my 13 year old neice what she thought about this and she said, frowning: “It makes me feel bad about myself….” And she’s a virgin! I’ll explain it to her, but its a fact that when you feed these images into the heads of girls who are already vulnerable, they’ll abuse their bodies even more. Anyone who took Psych knows that. Let’s be a part of the help, not te harm.

Statistics LIE. You go ahead and believe everything uncle sam tells you! Please. I guess you believed Bush when he says we aren’t in a recession? Or that we are winning the Iraq war..? Or that there are more Black men in jail than in college? LIES.

I commend the girl who says her and her boyfriend got tested togeher. That is wonderful. Here’s a statistic for you - what if I announced to the world: 48% of you on here right now have a nasty STD right now just marinating down there!! How do you feel about that? The truth hurts, but lies hurt more.

I agree about showing these girls reality and not just some textbook info from a teacher who could care less. When I was in school we were shown horrible videos of people with sores, lessions, blisters… AWFUL. We had a woman with AIDS come and speak to us, and bless her heart she was great, but she looked so sick and miserbale. I agree with that type of education. Scare ‘em straight!

It is not a game. I had my HIV test in Feb ‘08 and my other “cultures” (STD tests) about 3 weeks ago. All were negative so I’m good.

I have always felt that I am a gift to whomever I decide to have relations with b/c I offer a disease-free good time. They must offer the same or they can keep it moving.

Ladies & Gentlemen, we are all gifts…appreciate yourselves and don’t take your health for granted.

-Avanti

KUDOS to Concrete Loop for bringing the awareness…

Lets not make this just a one month lesson. This should be year-round!!!

@53 I disagree there is a lot of coverage about STDS. You can’t go a month without reading, hearing, or watching something about this subject. PEOPLE JUST DON’T CARE! Smokers know that smoking is hazardous to their health and they continue to do it. Criminals know that what they’re doing is a crime and they continue to do it anyway. You can talk about it tell your blue in the face all you want. People are going to continue doing what they want to do until it catches up with them and that’s the sad truth.

THANK YOU CONCRETELOOP!
Even the comments are amazing and insightful! Asea I agree with u scare em straight! It worked with me. I saw the SADDEST video that had real interviews with AIDS patients, one was a family with a 6 year old son. One of the parents unknowingly infected the other and then the little boy caught it and he died shortly after the interview. Another was a 19 year old man who died 6 weeks after finding out he had HIV. After seeing that video I am NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER gonna do something that will put me at risk cuz I only have one life. And remember people IT ONLY TAKES 1 TIME TO GET INFECTED!!!

oh by the way the video was called something like ‘Sex, Lies, and The Truth’

That video is not real. It’s meant to be a wake up call people. Yes it is scary or sick, but alot of women in our community need wake up calls. The scenarios that he has described happen so often that it’s sickening. Women giving up the coochie just because you drive an Escalade or have a nice chain is all too common. Women nowadays love to feel empowered by sex or the freedom to fuck whomever or whatever they want but they need to take heed to the consequences.

ASEA, I agree with what you said about statistics, there are flaws and errors with statistics and you can’t believe everything in the study because they judge the entire population based on a few (1 out 10 tested) sample or set tested. You have to know where the test was conducted (was it for a poor area, city, urban, rural area) and most of the time it’s in inner cities. I do understand the severity of the cause, we’re talking about a topic that most people are afraid to talk about because they want to annihilate themselves from the problem. I can honestly say for the younger generation (not excluding any other generation) that there is a lack of self respect and that in it’s own self stems from home, you really got to ask your self where are the parents? And parents need to be “IN THE KNOW”-meaning that you have to know what’s going on in you children’s lives. I agree scare tactics do work. I like the message in this post. Thanks J Dakar. And everyone keep it safe and value yourself more than anyone and anything out here.

I saw the trash man (the black young man who said he gave all those girls HIV) if this is true or not be careful… dont fall for no one…. men will respect you more if you ask about a condom…. and believe it or not the way the trashman thinks other people think theyre teaching people a lesson by spreading the disease. and the girls were young like 15,16,17…. young girls, dont let these grown men with material things have you having sex….. go to school… its more to yourself than trying to get with the next rich man…. use your head so you wouldnt need any dude to make a dicission that can alter your life….. Fathers….. uncles help your daughter and nieces out… tell them what to expect from a man… dont that let some dude give you a line about how much he loves you and then youre sleeping with him, if you think youre ready to have sex ask dude for a condom… if youre to embarrase to ask him questions and ask him about a condom, you dont need to have sex with him, yall need to be friends…. mothers… aunt… teach these boys how to respect these girls… Im gonna tell you three of my cousins died from aids….. three…. one year apart…. I saw them deteriorate…. I didnt wanna have sex for years…. I only slept with one guy one time with protection and that was my senior year of college and after I slept with him I was so scared I went and got an AIDS test I was negative (of course) but he didnt want to get tested so we broke up…. we saw eachother around campus said hye no bad feelings but no more sex either because I saw first hand three times how AIDS affect my family… Im black and I noticed that we were the only ones that knew the family members contracted AIDS, when people asked us what happened my family would say the person just got sick and died but they had mates who didnt know either… black families we need to talk about this disease, cause its hitting us hard…. very hard

@81Avanti, you better hope your “disease fee good time” remains in tact, with that carefree attitude, it sounds as though you are open to taking dangerous risks then banking on negative test results. If the partner that you choose has to be disease free as well, what are you doing to ensure this? Are you asking for recent STD test results? Seriously. I will pass on that game of Russian Roulette.

I am one of the few women of color, who at this time has chosen to practice abstinence. It has been a long while (4 years), and although this lifestyle may not be an option for other women, because of a lack of self control, I think it is the most viable choice in these uncertain times. Men are just ruthless now a days. Especially men of color. It’s sad to realize that our counterparts are really our worst enemies but it is true. They lie, cheat, disguise, go to jail have sex with men, and come out only to infect our naive women, lets not even talk about the ever-growing popularity of down-low brothers who front as heterosexuals but engage in risky sexual acts with other men- it’s disgusting. Men of any race, are suppose to take care of their women, but in the case of men of color, it seems they are really on the track of destroying
women of color slowly but surely.

Turn on the radio. Listen. Record sales are low, and artist know the Gangster image is played out, so now it’s an over-drive of lyrics about infidelity, secret affairs, stealing other people’s partners, raunchy sexual imagery,degrading, explicit sexual acts being described….it goes on and on.

I mean the top 3 songs in hip/hop and r&b right now all boast raunchy sexual behaviors ( Touch My Body, Lolipop, Love in this Club), Have you ever read the actual lyrics to Lolipop! My goodness! That boy is so gross! And I love MC, but I am not letting anyone tape me having sex- period! And um, I dont know about you all, but I am not making love to anybody in the club!

GOD BLESS US ALL

Star,

I’m not trying to talk down to you. I just think it’s foolish for anyone to say abstinence is the solution for AIDS.

Sorry, it’s just one of the plague we get for all the shit we do for living the type of ungodly lifestyles we are living. Don’t live according to God’s word; and the plagues will come on. Diseases, earthquakes, stuff like that. Everyone won’t to pretend that these things weren’t quoted in the Bible. What ever, I’m not going to argue God’s word. Believe it or don’t believe it.

We are suppose to get married and have sex with our spouses. Abstinence don’t prevent AIDS, only stops the person at the moment. But what about those women that get married and still got AIDS from their husbands? They are not sleeping around, they wanted to protect themselves thru marriage. What we need to really address is “our ungodly, unholy lifestyles and us not taking the word of God seriously. This is every race on the planet, not just Blacks. Where are the damn preachers today talking about not having sex until marriage? where are the preachers that are keeping it real, it’s nothing wrong with getting married young. Hell, it’s better to get married young and if you want to start a family doing it then. Marriage and children don’t mean life is ending. Where is the family support? C’mon we know most of our parents from the 60’s and 70’s were young parents, but with the help of their parents were able to make it. Where is those same parents now to support us and the young ones today? Some have forgotten they too were young and needed family support. A lot of those same parents don’t have time to support their children; but have time to go to clubs like some teenager. The 70s was the last of the “Big Mama” and thank God, I had one. It made a lot of difference. It’s the sign of the times. I miss my “Big Mama” too. Love her to pieces! So, let’s talk about that. Sex is a good thing, and will continue to be, but within the correct avenue.

I’m happy for you and I know you are trying, but after trying to protect yourself. What if you still get affected? God forbid Sista! I’m not wishing that for you; but it happens and it’s happening to a lot of innocent people, a lot.

I do agree! Those songs are gross as hell! Again, we have to teach the little ones, because I’m sure as gross as “lil Wayne is, he wouldn’t allow this on his daughter. I’m sure Usher ain’t making love in the clubs, and MC…hahahaha! she is just gross period! But, they are not suppose to do anything except entertain people and not teach our children. I don’t listen to this thing today called music anyway, so, I wouldn’t know. Give me old RnB.

We in the black community need to talk to our kids about sex and std’s as uncomfortable as it might be. Knowledge is power…

My bf sister sister died from AIDS but they tell her four daughters she died from cancer, I think they shouldn’t lie but tell them the truth and hopefully it will give them something to think about and hopefully prevent the same thing happening to them.

@ BUCKTHAT

I am not saying that abstinence is the cure for AIDS. I am saying that it is the most realistic form of protection against the deadly disease. I also said making the choice to practice is not for everyone.

Also, at this point and time, any women married to or committed to a black male in a relationship should require from him an HIV/AIDS & STD Test every six months, no if ands or butts! Marriage does not shield anybody from HIV, and any women who believes this is very naive. Again, popular culture ( music, tv, radio, magazines) boast infidelity in marriages, so a woman not thinking twice about her husbands extra-curricular activities is really being senseless!

You make it seem like the situation with HIV is hopeless and that there are no ways a women can protect herself from being a victim of this deadly disease! That is not the attitude to have in these perilous times!

Women get smart- This will not happen to me, by the grace of God, because I am smart! I do not make decisions based on ideals. Like, the ideal of marriage being sacred, so I wont need to worry about STD’S once I get married- yeah right! Most down- low brothers are married!

I think its funny how women of color will spend excessive amounts of money on clothes, shoes, and even hair, but will laugh at the advice of investing in protecting themselves from cruel men who do not have their best interest at heart. What I mean is ladies, aside from requiring that a man show you an up to date test result periodically, why not hire a private investigator to watch him for a week or two- believe me, it will only take a few days for a man’s true lifestyle to be exposed. Men are who they are, and cannot control the desire to be their true selves. Even if their true selves are hideous and cruel! BE CAREFUL!!!

oh and at #90 Buckthat–you hit the nail on the head–very well said…i thought that I was the only one that felt that way, especially about the church—it hasn’t been taught where I am yet–touched on but not taught

I was recently diagnosed with an STD from an ex of mine. The sad part about it is she bragged on my answering machine how she gave it to me and she was glad….So I retaliated by puting it on myspace for the world to hear…..Lol now she ain’t laughing no more. So the word to the wise …..Don’t mess with …. a woman scorned…..To hear it go http://www.myspace.com/dyzihre27 and scroll to the last song on my page it reads Ericka’s Tardy’s STD confession.