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From: blueskye@sun.uucp (Tim Ryan)
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: Re: AIDS virus in prison evaporates bas
Message-ID: <3233@sun.uucp>
Date: Thu, 13-Feb-86 11:13:58 EST
Article-I.D.: sun.3233
Posted: Thu Feb 13 11:13:58 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Feb-86 02:33:30 EST
References: <1679@bbncca.ARPA> <21200012@uiucdcsb>
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Lines: 64


In article 2492, posted 11 Feb 86 19:14:00 GMT, midkiff@uiucdcsb.CS.UIUC.EDU writes
> 
> 
> /* Written  4:44 pm  Jan 30, 1986 by rrizzo@bbncca.ARPA in uiucdcsb:net.motss */
> /* ---------- "AIDS virus in prison evaporates bas" ---------- */
> >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!  
> 
> Why is quarantining someone with the ability to transmit a fatal disease
> the ability of someone being able to transmit a fatal disease a lame
> excuse?  

It's an extremely lame excuse.  It is a breach of someone's fundamental civil
rights without due process, and without supporting scientific evidence.
Period.
>
> But the odds are that anyone who tests positive
> to HTLVIII is infectious, and possibly more infectious than individuals
> who are symptomatic.  Therefore whether an infected individual ever actually
> comes down with AIDS or ARC is beside the point to society at large. 
> 
Garbage.  There is *no* proof or evidence to show that anyone who tests HTLV3
positive is infectious.  There is evidence to suggest that those who test HTLV3
postive have between a 10 and 15% chance of being diagnosed with one or more
of the opportunistic infections associated with AIDS within 5 years after
testing HTLV3 positive.  Pretty low odds!  This *fact* is not beside the
point.  It has further been shown that HTLV3 is *very* difficult to transmit,
and that it probably requires multiple exposure to get the retrovirus.
>
> When you commit crimes one of the chances you take is
> that you will be deprived of some basic freedoms - one of those freedoms being
> the ability to murder by infecting other people with your fatal diseases.
> 
What crime has someone who is infected with HTLV3 committed?  If you mean to 
imply that all HTLV3 exposed people are homosexual, and that homosexuality
is a crime, you are wrong.  Not all HTLV3-positive people are homosexual
men.  Fact.  And consensual acts between adults are not illegal in many states,
and for that matter, a lot of what goes on between heteros is statute illegal.
That you think that anyone who has committed a crime is to be deprived of the
basic right to life, you are one sick puppy.
> 
> The Nazis used pink triangles specifically to sort out
> people for death and slave labor.  
>
Wrong.  The Nazis used pink triangles specifically to single out homosexuals
in concentration camps, just as they used stars of david to identify Jews and
cirles to identify "intellectuals."  Everyone was at risk for death in the
concentration camps. 
>
> It is an insult to those who died under
> the Nazis to equate their ordeals with the inability of convicted criminals
> to dress as they want.
> 
We're not talking about the right of people to dress in their Calvin's in
prison.  We're talking about the singling out people for the soul reason
that they may be infectious, they may be homosexual, they may be diagnosed
with AIDS/ARC.  There is nothing to support any of those contentions in
being diagnosed HTLV3 positive.  There is no relationship between HTLV3
and one's sexuality, gender, race, color, creed, religion, eye color,
national origin, IQ, or food preferences.  NONE.  Viruses don't discriminate,
people do.