tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13645667.post113336022384345547..comments2023-07-30T08:23:44.275-04:00Comments on Perspectives In Motion: Safe sex? Why not safe blood?DL Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10646672420003320521noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13645667.post-1133631353708967042005-12-03T12:35:00.000-05:002005-12-03T12:35:00.000-05:0050% of newly infected HIV cases are blacks and we ...<I>50% of newly infected HIV cases are blacks and we only represent 12 or 13% of the population, so what's your point? As a black man, I would be very careful about advocating profiling for other groups. <BR/>This argument is actually of no consequence, other than the outrage felt by gay activists at such blatant discrimination. I live in the 'hood (Detroit), and many gay, bi-sexual or "DL" men I know have given blood, are not well read, and have no idea that they are banned from giving blood. They have donated blood, got their little pins, and went on about their business... thank you very much.</I><BR/><BR/>Anonymous,<BR/>There is no point to make. Maybe you are looking to hard. The CDC issued the guidelines, not me. I simply support the guidelines in their current form.<BR/>Kudos to the black, gay, hood blood donors[sarcasm]. They slipped through. That may speak more to the ignorance of some people about the efforts to protect the nation's blood supply. As a black man, I would never celebrate ignorance.DL Fosterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10646672420003320521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13645667.post-1133630397694302882005-12-03T12:19:00.000-05:002005-12-03T12:19:00.000-05:0050% of newly infected HIV cases are blacks and we ...50% of newly infected HIV cases are blacks and we only represent 12 or 13% of the population, so what's your point? As a black man, I would be very careful about advocating profiling for other groups. <BR/><BR/>This argument is actually of no consequence, other than the outrage felt by gay activists at such blatant discrimination. I live in the 'hood (Detroit), and many gay, bi-sexual or "DL" men I know have given blood, are not well read, and have no idea that they are banned from giving blood. They have donated blood, got their little pins, and went on about their business... thank you very much.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13645667.post-1133575114687772772005-12-02T20:58:00.000-05:002005-12-02T20:58:00.000-05:00no, not odd at all.the restrictions are based on h...no, not odd at all.<BR/>the restrictions are based on hard statistics. Facts. As the old saying goes, you cant argue with facts. Im banned too, but ask me if I care.DL Fosterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10646672420003320521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13645667.post-1133561581827481342005-12-02T17:13:00.000-05:002005-12-02T17:13:00.000-05:00DL, I think the current regulations are appropriat...DL, I think the current regulations are appropriate to an extent. But, to me it doesn't make sense that if I had one sexual encounter with another male that was a virgin 20 years ago, I would be banned from giving blood, even if I have been tested every 6 months and show to be negative since then. However, if a straight man had sex with 100's of prostitutes 15 years ago without protection, and has never been tested, he would still be allowed to donate. <BR/><BR/>Does that not sound a bit odd to you?Bradyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16814595295811641662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13645667.post-1133555818377675192005-12-02T15:36:00.000-05:002005-12-02T15:36:00.000-05:00From:http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ekti...From:<BR/>http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid22719.asp<BR/><BR/><I>What I found is that there is, in fact, good science to support these policies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the most recent U.S. study, conducted in 2003, men who have sex with men accounted for approximately two thirds of all HIV infections among men, although only 5% to 7% of men in the United States identify themselves as men who have sex with men. (Obviously their surveys underestimate the true number of men who have sex with men, but even accounting for this error, the data is overwhelming.) The CDC’s statistical models predict that if the criterion was relaxed to exclude only those who have had man-to-man sex in the past five years, the worst-case scenario would mean an additional 1,200 units of HIV-positive blood in the system—a potential disaster. </I><BR/><BR/>If he sees the danger, why dont you?DL Fosterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10646672420003320521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13645667.post-1133540508254597592005-12-02T11:21:00.000-05:002005-12-02T11:21:00.000-05:00Notice I said African immigrants to this country, ...Notice I said African immigrants to this country, not Africans over in Africa or Haitians over in Haiti. It's not neccessarily the sex act, it's the number of sexual partners one exposes him or herself to that increase the risk of catching something. I know conservatives have been arguing it's all about the anal/"sodomite" sex, hence this might explain the black African high AIDS rates.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13645667.post-1133479154830582552005-12-01T18:19:00.000-05:002005-12-01T18:19:00.000-05:00All your objections should be addressed to the CDC...All your objections should be addressed to the CDC. If this is really a concern to you, Im not sure why you havent made that known to them prior to my post.<BR/><BR/>I dont have the power nor the inclination to change their guidelines. Like I have already stated, I believe the current guidelines are fair, reasonable and safe. Further, the CDC's guidelines are applicable to US blood banks, not Haiti or other foreign populations. You asked if blacks should be added, I said no not as "blacks". However, certain blacks already are: black (or formerly homosexual men; that's me)homosexual men who engaged in those sexual activities before 1977. Since gay men are demographically diverse, then the ban would indeed apply to other ethnicities you mentioned. <BR/>This is a public safety issue.DL Fosterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10646672420003320521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13645667.post-1133474444379605472005-12-01T17:00:00.000-05:002005-12-01T17:00:00.000-05:00DL, we could take this further and say, maybe blac...DL, we could take this further and say, maybe black immigrants here with origins from certain countries of Southern Africa with high HIV/AIDS rates should be banned from giving blood as well. In some of those countries they have HIV prevalence rates of 35% or more (nearly matching rates found among black homosexuals in the U.S. and far exceeding the rates found among white, Asian or Latino homosexuals in the U.S.) and supposedly this is heterosexual sex. In Haiti the HIV rate is between 3-6% depending on your source. What levels of HIV prevalence among these populations should be the trigger to profile or ban these folks from the blood supply in the U.S.?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13645667.post-1133471659744743122005-12-01T16:14:00.000-05:002005-12-01T16:14:00.000-05:00Im not sure if people not responding is a sign of ...Im not sure if people not responding is a sign of anything.<BR/>The majority of the ones who were, were acidic. <BR/>To answer your question, no blacks should not be added to the list of profiled donors. Neither should lesbians, Arabs or old grandmas in Wyoming.<BR/>The CDC guidelines profile <I>homosexual men who have engaged in sexual activities since 1977.</I><BR/>That's not because I wished for it, its because its the right thing to do.DL Fosterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10646672420003320521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13645667.post-1133470484961445612005-12-01T15:54:00.000-05:002005-12-01T15:54:00.000-05:00DL, I've noticed people have stopped responding to...DL, I've noticed people have stopped responding to your posts, that being said, be careful what you wish for. Blacks as a group now have the highest HIV rates in the U.S. and the world for that matter. Should blacks be added to the list of blood donors that should be profiled?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com