WHEREAS THE PATCHWORK PROGRAMS PUT TOGETHER IN LARGE URBAN AREAS ARE OFTEN THE RESULT OF POLITICS, CAPE'S PROGRAM MAKES SENSE

Human nature makes us reactive creatures, hence the so-called AIDS crisis. Listen to the following statements: "AIDS is the greatest threat to the existence of mankind." "It has reached epidemic proportions with no cure in sight." "The federal government has failed to institute a program to deal with the problemor spend enough money on it." These are statements that could be attributed to any AIDS activist group.But do they reflect the truth? In fact, the federal government has adopted a credible program of research and education and Southeast Missouri's policy reflects that national outlook.

Pandering to AIDS lobbySome large metropolitan governments and the federal government, in some respects, have pandered to the AIDS lobby. The public school system in New York City utilizes part of its fiscal outlay, not for basic skills, but to teach children and young adults the use of condoms. School clinics distribute condoms on demand within the schools grounds. Where only 25 precent of the senior class even graduates, Johnny cant read but he can procreate in a relatively safe manner. In 1991 the National Institutes of Health increased its AIDS spending to 10 percent of its total budget; from 64 million to 800 million. This budget is intended to deal with all of America's health crises. Instead it has concentrated a significant portion of its funds on a disease that effects a small, concentrated segment of the population.

Southeast Missouri doesn't need to adopt such drastic and ineffective methods to deal with AIDS in this region. The area hospitals treat AIDS patients locally and provide in-home-care services. The Cape Girardeau school system teaches the facts about HIV/AIDS within the context of physical education classes. This local program makes sense, whereas the patchwork programs put together in large urban areas are the result of politics, not health care.

Health care problem;

Not socio-political defectThis area treats AIDS as a health care problem, not a socio-political defect. Our unique demographic position allows us the benefit of not having the societal subgroups that make up the primary victims of AIDS. The Center for Disease Control indicates that AIDS concentrates within the homosexual and drug using subcultures, regardless of the reported "explosion" in the heterosexual community advanced by some.AIDS is a disease that results almost exclusively from specific types of behavior. And people in Missouri, who engage in risky behavior, have the needed services available to them for their protection and education. The community isnt (nor should be) responsible for controlling every risky action by its population. No victim of any disease should be accorded specialized consideration because their disease happens to be the politically correct one at the moment. In the case of AIDs, this amounts to de facto support for behavior that violates certain social mores.

Overcoming stigmatizationAIDS is a disease, no more or less devastating than any other terminal sickness. The thing that most distinguishes AIDS is its stigmatization. It should be treated with the same compassion reserved for the victims of other terminal illnesses. But this does not extend to specialized services that drain community resources away from the common good. AIDS victims deserve the best care and support we can give - but on equal terms with victims of other fatal diseases.

Charles Gibson is a graduate student in history at Southeast Missouri State University.