An HIV-Positive Muppet

[terminalillness]

I was listening to a rush limbaugh's radio show and he said that at the national aids conference the producers of sesame street came out and said they were going to have an hiv positive muppet. at the same conference bill clinton suggested nike make a condom in the form of a swoosh, no joke.

[Quad]

I agree with Debwalin 110%, our childeren need to learn compasion and understanding. But an HIV infected muppet. That is the stupidest thing I have heard since Muslims blowing themselves up in the name of god.

Instead of making AIDS a "cute little sing-a-long disease", why don't they show them the true AIDS virus, the one that attacks the host immune system, causing them to be ravaged by disease and infection.

I wonder if the AIDS muppet will be skinny, pale, with leasions covering its body? Will it show him (or her) vomiting blood, and soiling itself because it no longer has the strenght to move. Unable to feed itself, unable to do anything accept die a lonely, miserable death. My guess is no.

[avdven]

I have to agree with Reality. I visited Kenya and Tanzania a few years ago and I was amazed at the epidemic proportions of AIDS in Africa. The idea of a HIV-positive muppet, in my opinion, will help raise awareness of the disease and allow children (and their parents) to learn to deal with friends and relatives that are infected. Many of the people in this thread stated that they think children are innocent and should not be subject to the idea of an STD such as AIDS, but, at least in Africa, the majority of people who are currently infected were infected through methods other than sexually... such as genetically (one or both of the parents was HIV+), through poor medical facilities, etc. I personally, think it's a good idea. Not something that would work in the States, but definately a step in the right direction for Africa, where HIV and AIDS are rampant.

Also, in response to Quad's statement:

"I wonder if the AIDS muppet will be skinny, pale, with leasions covering its body? Will it show him (or her) vomiting blood, and soiling itself because it no longer has the strenght to move. Unable to feed itself, unable to do anything accept die a lonely, miserable death."

AIDS and HIV are too different entities. AIDS is a side-effect of HIV, but an HIV positive person will most likely not experience such symptoms unless either the HIV manifests itself into AIDS, or the person picks up another disease which causes these symptoms.

AJ

[Euclid]

The diseased tramp better stay away from kermit or piggy is going to kick her ass

[Euclid]

Its my opinion and it was called for and a big **** you to the people who gave me anti points for saying it. I am a person with thoughts and fealings and I will always express them and little red peices of digital crap is not going to change that for me.

Some people take things to seriously. I mean comeon a muppet having the HIV virus. Its a gay idea and that is defenatly fair game to say whatever you want to say about it. And so I have. And i am actually fealing like saying something again.

The ape screwing junky tramp better stay away from kermit!!!!!!

Red anti-points are like parking tickets. Little tiny peices of nothing.

[preep]

My kids 4 and they told her not to touch needles, because she might get aids, same wiht allot of stuff too that she`s suddenly become scared to she wont even look at a sewing needle

i agree with telling them about the dangers, but not destroying thier youth by making them too aware of their surroundings, as that breeds fear, and i dont want her not being able to leave the house, for being afraid

as i was told the other day, balance is the key

{i fell into a bad scene when i was 17, and i know many ppl who have aids, and you cant capture the suffering it brings in a childhood character}

Preep

[bquine]

Well, it's a 5 year old muppet. I don't think sexuality will come into it. They probably will glaze over it a bit, I'm sure they know they target demographic. Also I have always found the Childern's Workshop to be pretty responisible with what they do in their programs.

But yeah, this is something that's going to cause controversy. Onlt thing to so is watch how it plays out.

[nick_wray]

I think it would be a big step in the right direction. Even in north america or europe, most people dont know the difference between HIV and AIDS. Anything that anyone does to improve general knowledge of AIDS and the crisis will help. Just the rumor of addition of an HIV character has made us all talk about the epidemic that is ravaging africa today.

My mom is from South Africa, and I often hear of the horror stories that occur there from her friends and my grandmothers friends. The ignorance is amazing. There is a myth that is frighteningly common in South Africa that for a man who is HIV positive to be cured he must have sex with a virgin. This in itself is preposterous, but the fact that it inspires a huge number of child rape incidents. These children not only are mentally scarred by the event, but will usually die in a few years because they will be infected. This is why I say that any myths we can dispel, and genuine knowledge we can impart, no matter the vector will be much help.

God forbid that anything as terrible as the AIDS epidemic in Africa happen to the rest of the world.

[kitain]

Any how, for RSA it is an obvious move, make the decease something "more natural" for the people, considering the info here, 10% is quite a lot. You have to learn how to deal with it, like it or not. That's it's their reality.
Every "nation" have it's own. I would say that in several countries of Africa it should be much more agressive! some entire countries might desapear in the future there.

Kitain.

[JP]

Originally posted here by Euclid
The ape screwing junky tramp better stay away from kermit!!!!!!

If it weren't for ignorant bigots like you confusing the issue of HIV, we might not need little muppets to educate our youth about the reality of the disease.

Shows like Sesame Street & Mr. Roger's Neighborhood have dealt with issues as broad ranging as Cancer, Divorce, Disabilities, Racial Tolerance, and even the September 11th Attacks. If, in parts of the world, up to 30% of a population is effected by something, then by all means shows geared to youth should address it.

As the oldest of 5 children (i'm 23, my youngest brother is 5), I can speak first hand that kids pick up on a lot more than many adults realize. As such, they should be educated about the facts, at a level and depth that is suitable for their age group.

I find it funny, that as always, it's the US Republicans in the Senate that have sent letters to the producers of Sesame Street "reminding them" that they are publicly funded, and as such, that funding could be taken away. These would be the same people that sent a "friendly letter" to Nickelodeon when they aired a special on children of same-sex couples. Of course, these would also be the same people that wanted to cut off funding to the national endowment for the arts, and wanted museum directors arrested for displaying a wide range of works through-out our country's history. Of course, these would also be the same people that think that HIV == "A Cure For Homosexuality", and make sure that loving couples of 4 years, such as my partner and myself, aren't provided the same level of legal protection as a drunk straight couple with $25 and 20 minutes to spare in Las Vegas are.

To some, these issues may all seem unrelated. To me, it's all the work of old-fashioned christian conservatives that feel if everyone looked, acted, worshiped, and behaved as they do (or at least, as they say they do), the world would be a better, or at least more god-friendly, place.

I'm just waiting for the day that these people wake up one morning and realize: no matter how many people we burn at the stake the sun will never revolve around the earth, the world's not flat, there's no way noah could have fit 2 of every animal on that boat, man has been around a lot longer than 6,000 years, evolution is a fact (no matter how much you hate to admit it) and no matter how many times they try to convince themselves that they're right, all through-out history they keep getting proven wrong.

Maybe one day man will take a leap out of the dark ages.

::UPDATE::

How stupid are people giving the owner of this site "anonymous antipoints" that say things like "DIE FAGGOT". Haha. While I certainly don't mind people assigning me negative antipoints if they feel that my posts deserve it, I won't tolerate assignments like that no matter WHO they're directed towards.

This should be considered a warning before I start deleting some accounts.