They're going to have to change what they call AIDS..All the blacks keep applying for it.

Do you know how to keep from getting AIDS?
Sit on your ass and keep your mouth shut.

This kid asked his mom: "Mooom What will I be when I grow up?"
Mother: "Nothing son, you have AIDS."

Aren't those jokes just hilarious? I mean, over 300 people gave them a 5 star rating. Racism and homophobia mixed with ignorant views of a lethal disease, what could be funnier.. I mean really, is there anything more funny than mocking a deadly illness that affects millions of people, a disease that destroys lives and ruins relationships.A disease that causes you to die painfully and slowly as infections overwhelm your body while your immune system fails. And those cheeky little acronyms they have are classy. What does GAY stand for? Got AIDS Yet?What does AIDS stand for? "Adios, Infected Dick Sucker".How hysterically comical! See, I must have a problem, because I'm not laughing...are you guys?

Maybe Im just too uptight, but personally I find AIDs to be no laughing matter. I find those who enjoy making jokes playing it off as if homosexuals are the only people who get AIDS to be highly uneducated and crude. Those who think only low life drug addicts get AIDs are ignorant to the happenings in their society. Those who assume race plays a role in who has AIDs are oblivious to facts.Those who think a disease that is destroying lives in multiple countries though out Africa and around the wolrd is something to laugh at have a sick sense of humor. If they could accept that fact that ANYONE can get AIDs, I doubt they'd be laughing anymore..

When we knew little about AIDs, those stereotypes of who got AIDs were so popular, it was unreal. Anyone who lived with AIDs had to go through hell just to survive because of their disease, and in addition they recieved horrible, negative treatment from the rest of the world and were exiled from their daily lives, simply because they were sick. That was over 25 years ago when we knew so little about AIDs. Why do we still have those stereotypes now?We have no excuse.Its estimated that over 39.5 million people lived with AIDs during 2006.4.3 million people died because of the disease. I don't find that to be joking material.

So, if you haven't quit reading my blog so far(which I hope you haven't, it's important to me) you're probably wondering why I put a blog about AIDs under movie reviews. I watched a movie today called The Ryan White Story. For those of you who aren't familiar with the case, it's based on a true court case that happened in the 80's. Ryan White was 13 when he was diagnosed with AIDS. He suffered from hemophilia, which means he often needed blood from doners because hsi blood didn't clot correctly. Before we had knowledge about AIDS, donor blood wasn't checked for the HIV virus. That's how he became infected. He was hospitalized for a lung infection that threatened his life. It was caused by a disease most children can't get, because of their immune systems. However, due to the fact that he had AIDs, his immune system left him open for deadly infections. He recovered from that, he had a strong will to live and not let his disease dominate his life.He was hospitalized several times.

When he was better, more than anything he wanted to attend school. He loved education. However, fear had taken control over parents, teachers, and school officials minds. You can not contract AIDS from casual contact with an infected person. It isn't possible, and at the time that fact was available, but they refused to listen. Ryans mom went to court, multiple times fighting appeals and all sorts of things, trying to get her son in school. After what seemed like forever, they won. Ryan was allowed to attend school. This was one of the most publicized events of the 80's.However, what the court said couldn't do away with the ignorance of his town. In one scene of the movie, his mothers car batterydies, and when she asks if anyone has jumper cables she's ignored, as if she isn't even there. Ryans siblings are harassed because of Ryan's illness; by children and the media.Ryan was tourmented daily, he couldn't go anywhere without being called a queer fag, or being completely disrespected in some other way. Keep in mind, this is only a 13/14 year old boy dealing with this hatred.Whoever said ignorance is bliss obviously hadn't considered this. I assure you, the towns ignorance was anything but blissful for Ryan. He ended up moving to another town, to a school that was welcoming and accepting. The entire town took the time to learn about the disease and become educated. Michael Jackson actually purchased their home there, out of respect for what Ryan had done.

Ryan went on to become and AIDs activist, and dedicated his life to teaching people about the disease, and breaking down barriers and blockades that had been built up because of the disease. He was an amazing person. He didn't get AIDs by anything sexual, it was from donated blood. This made him seem so innocent in the eyes of the public, but he would never agree with this. He said it didn't matter how you got AIDs, what mattered is that you were not discriminated against, and that your community allowed you to live your life as if you were a normal person, and not a freak show. When Ryan died, his funeral obtained the record for the largest attendance in the state of Indiana. Elton John performed a song in his honor, and the US First Lady attended, along with many, many others. Even to this day, organizations he set up still help people live with AIDs.

This is one of the greatest films I have seen. It isn't a film with an overly large budget, or well known actors, but the story is sensational. Ryan White actually plays a part in the movie. Not his character, but another child sick in the hospital named Chad. I can describe his life to you in what I wrote, but actually seeing how he lived, and actually hearing the crude remarks ignorant people made to him has a totally different impact. It's an excellent film.

Oh yeah, well back to those funny jokes I was telling you guys..
What two types of bread give you AIDS?
Rye and white.
(sound it out)
Thank you to anyone who took the time to read this whole thing. I didn't intend for it to be so long, but I didn't realize how strongly I felt about the subject until I wrote about it.