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From: rrizzo@bbncca.ARPA (Ron Rizzo)
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: AIDS virus in prison evaporates basic rights
Message-ID: <1679@bbncca.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 30-Jan-86 17:44:12 EST
Article-I.D.: bbncca.1679
Posted: Thu Jan 30 17:44:12 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Feb-86 05:41:46 EST
Organization: Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Cambridge, Ma.
Lines: 32

In case anyone doubts how little basic rights are respected concerning
AIDS, NPR's "All Things Considered" tonight told of an inmate in a
Kansas City prison who's being kept in isolation merely because he
tested positive to HTLV-III!  The prisoner is in effect serving a
sentence he wasn't given, ie, one of solitary confinement.  The rationale
is, even if the prisoner never develops AIDS (he doesn't even show signs
of ARC), he might still be capable of transmitting the virus to another
who could subsequently come down with full-blown AIDS.  The warden added
an even lamer excuse: he was protecting said prisoner against the violent
reactions of other prisoners who fear AIDS.

Considering that 1/3 of all prisoners have a history of drug use and
addiction, that homosexual acts and rape are common in American prisons,
it's clear many prisoners in every prison probably are infected with the
AIDS virus, which makes the above inmate's isolation incredibly hypocri-
tical.  The real danger is not his probable infection but the mere public
knowledge of it.  

Convicted criminals (he's in on a heroin charge) may forfeit many basic
civil rights & liberties, but not all, & not their fundamental, or "human"
rights (to life, to be free of torture, etc.).  Nonprisoners would never 
tolerate such treatment.  The difference seems to be power: American gays
now have a fairly powerful political movement and other institutions
to protect their interests; prisoners have none.  So much for the alleged
basic decency or even lawfulness of the "authorities"!  What holds them
in check apparently is simply countervailing power.

The ACLU is looking into the Kansas City case.


						Cheers,
						Ron Rizzo