A man wears a hat inscribed with the word ‘hope’ with the Barack Obama presidential campaign’s trademark logo of the rising sun as about 1,000 people from cities such as New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, gather to challenge President-elect Barack Obama to put an end to the AIDS epidemic in the United States and around the world at a rally in McPhearson Square on Thursday in Washington, DC.
The demonstrators marched to the White House and called on Obama to help people living with HIV and AIDS gain access to affordable housing, Medicare and Medicaid, and to increase funding for needle exchange and other prevention programs.
( photos: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images )
What do they expect Obama, who’s not even president yet, to do about The Aids epidemic, besides to help find a cure for it. It’s not the president’s fault when people are constantly having unprotected sex, sharing needles, and all of those other types of things. Those people really looked stupid for marching to the White House for Obama to change the Aids epidemic and he’s not even there yet.
Wow! Some of the comments on here are ridiculous! These people aren’t dumb. Of course they know Obama isn’t in office. Just like all rallies, they’re marching to gain attention from those who can make changes and for RECOGNITION! They’re not asking for him to make “aids disappear” as a lot of you so simply put it. They are making demands, which all citizens have a right to do! Aids is a huge problem in the black community. Just like Obama promised, they want to be sure that their voices are heard in advocating for CHANGE. Aids prevention programs, prices of medication, research for better treatments, and etc are all things that can help in decreasing the number of HIV/AIDS cases each year.
Though I’m not trying to promote the usage of drugs, if the safe needle exchange system helps in preventing this terrible disease from being spread to low self-esteem/promiscuous girls/boys, ignorant teens, married couples, gay, lesbians, whomever, then I am all for it!!!!
wow there is allot of ignorance in the comments….. I’m sure there are protesting to bring an awareness to an issue that is effecting allot of people in the black community, in fact allot of community just black folks more. just because you have tested doesn’t mean you don’t have HIV.
*** You Get HIV from having Unprotected Sex
and as you can see from the Maury show… etc that there all allot folk not even thinking about condoms…. it’s really sad.
HIV doesn’t have a look, and it can live your body for 10 years before you even show a symptom. so yes this disease needs to be stop.. those with it do need some help.
and stop making it like it’s their fault they contracted the virus … having unprotected sex is the it’s spread. let’s not be so judgemental , we (black folks) are the most effected by this disease, and allot of folks simply ignore it… one day we all will be extinct, because of ignorance.
poet
pardon typos and grammer errors.. in previous post
The vast majority of people that replied to this thread have no idea what the current HIV/AIDS epidemic is and they have no idea the problems that are involved. Please educate yourselves, folks. Of course we (I was at the rally) do not expect Obama to end AIDS. This rally occurs annually. Typically we protest the President’s policies but this year we ignored the President (Bush) and looked towards the future President and supported him for the HIV/AIDS policies that he proposed. You misunderstood the point of the rally if you thought it was more than that. Obama will not be able to end AIDS but there are some key policies that can be changed or implemented that would significantly change the face of the epidemic. I’m talking about education, prevention, outreach programs. FACT: The majority of people spreading HIV, don’t know they have it. We need to reach out to these folks and get them treatment. This isn’t about who is right and worng. This is about reaching out to a sick, marginalized community and helping them.
See, brother, your mind is in a bag and the leaders of your cult take it where ever they want. One thing I must give you credit for is that you have a good memory. You remember my occupation and everything..lol. Brother, I do not know how many times I have to explain my position to you. This is your approach, you disregard everything I say and resort to trivialism. I am not for this country or for this government; what I stand for is a united Black front, from a Black nationalism stand point. A race of people is like an individual man; until it uses its own talent, takes pride in its own history, expresses its own culture, affirms its own selfhood, it can never fulfill itself. Me supporting Barack Obama is not about this presidency or any goverment office. This is about unity. Getting behind a Black man and elevating him high enough so the world can see (for what ever it is worth) that their perception of Black people, lacking intellect, leadership qualities and good family oriented values, were ill-conceived. You keep on saying I have no response to your questions. What questions?
# 66 comment was directed at Judas.
1 and 3…
youre dumbasses…i have hiv and i did NOT get it from having sex or doing drugs so please be smart about wtf you say
…and i coulda sworn that we hate how white people treat/ed blacks but look at how we treat and judge each other…damn
I am from a county where African American women make up 75% of new AIDS/HIV cases. Most of the women where I’m from contract it through un-protected sex. I do not agree with giving people “affordable housing” for making bad decisions. I do agree with making healthcare and medcine affordable to them.
I wouldn’t feel so bad with having more prevention programs, but this is 2008 most people (including young adults) know how HIV/AIDS in contracted, they just don’t believe it can happen to them. I am torn with this topic because I know so many people living and who have died from these dieases, but I believe this is a perosnal issue and not and Obama issue. What do people expect him to do bust in on people having sex and say, are you using a condom? when is the last time you’ve been tested?, are you using a clean needle?
Sorry for the typo’s in post 70 I was typing fast lol
lol @ 22. After Obama ends AIDS and Cancer he needs to end unemployment, homelessness, terrorism and find the extraterrestrial life on mars…all by his first week in office!
Come on people! I (kinda) understand what you’re saying, but lets get realistic here. And like they said, the man is not in office yet! Let him breathe, please!!
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The thing that I find so frustrating is that these people are wasting time with rallies when they should DO something to further their cause. I agree with a lot of the comments about HIV/AIDS being an epidemic that flourishes because the vast majority of “victims” do not exhibit personal responsibility. However I cannot support the “victims” who only attend rallies and whine to try to get benefits for their condition. Instead of standing around like monkeys waving signs, create a proposal and an ACTUAL PLAN OF ACTION toward a solution. Then take it to the drug companies and get the sponsorship of your state senators/congressmen. It’s not fair to the American taxpayers to complain about an issue and beg for handouts but not put in the legwork to find the answer to your problem. It’s called Sweat Equity. God helps those who helps themselves. The election of President Obama should represent a motivating force to everyone who has an issue that they want him to tackle. Instead of stomping your feet in front of the White House, put on your thinking cap and brainstorm how you can get what you want. I guarantee that 90% of the time the solution will more effectively be found in the private sector and local communities NOT with the government.
@ #65: It’s funny – silly people who take part in rallies seem to hope that protests and ostentatious public displays will put a spotlight on their particular cause. However it often has the opposite effect. There tends to be a backlash AGAINST the issue (as indicated by the reponse on this forum). Just like the folks who are protesting the passing of Proposition 8 against gay marriage in California. It’s about as effective as campaigning for McCain now that the election is over. I suggest channeling your energy into an effective course of action. Good luck!
@74
The people here waving signs represent over 100 organizations that helped organize and sponsor this rally. These organizations are mostly non-profits and they all actively work to creat policy change. This is an annual rally to bring awareness to the issues that we spend all year working with. If you think rallies are not effective, tell that to the Obama transition team that sent a representative to speak to the crowd. She announced that the team would be sitting down with representatives of the major organizations involved to help identify the major policy issues that can be changed. We have plans, we have ideas and we are voicing them and they will now be heard. This is why we do what we do.
I mean I do agree with what you guys are posting, even the posts that some of you say are ignorant; however, we all need to understand that this is a crisis on everyone because sadly even though we feel how we feel and say these things, I truly believe that nothing will be done, because you still have people out here that know they are infected and will intentionally go out and give an innocent unsuspecting person AIDS. Honestly, I do agree with the #44 ASHY LARRY, he said some real truthful stuff and for those who may have gotten sensitve about the situation hey “THE TRUTH HURTS” and I suggest you guys wake up and see this because you got alot of low DOWN LOW BROTHERS, who don’t tell their wives that they like men and bring them back AIDS because they choose to be a doo doo chaser. As far as this issue with them wanting to Obama to stop the epidemic, I’m sorry but in this case all Obama can do is help with the health care and raise awareness, he cannot physically stop this it is going to have to begin in the prison systems and on the streets.