HIV/AIDS in Georgia – How we have failed and will continue to fail

This is a not something new. We have know for years that HIV/AIDS was becoming a real threat for rural, female, African-American and poor people.

This is not all the fault of the state (but plenty of blame does reside there). The CDC has never really EVER had a HIV prevention plan in place. When the [...]

National Minority AIDS Council Call to Action- New HIV rates

There website is here.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Circe J. Gray Le Compte, Director of Communications
National Minority AIDS Council, 1931 13th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Telephone: (202) 234-5120 ext. 309; (202) 352-7240
E-mail: communications@nmac.org
“And all the centuries passed and they survived and became a kind of people that the world had never known. [...]

Black America and HIV – US failure to combat problem

Here is the link to the report and whole article.
What If Black America Were Its Own Country?
“Left Behind! Black America: A Neglected Priority in the Global AIDS Epidemic” incorporates a new analysis by the Black AIDS Institute showing how Black America would rank on the global health and HIV scale if it were a separate [...]

The South has 52% of all HIV cases

Here is the link to the Southern States Manifesto
Report warns of Southern AIDS ‘crisis’
Half of deaths occur in 17-state region as federal, private money dries up

By Alex Johnson
MSNBC
July. 24, 2008

AIDS specialists are calling for a fundamental rethinking of HIV policy after a new report showed that infection with the virus was rising dramatically in the [...]

Our neighbor to the south gets their hate on

This the link to the original story.
From Pam’s house blend. I think she has the best analysis of what is really going on. Go read the whole thing.
For those who don’t know, fundamentalist right-wingers in Florida are attempting to pass a constitutional amendment in Florida this year that would ban gay marriage in the Sunshine [...]

It took countless deaths, but Georgia finally gets a Mental Health Ombudsman

While on the face of it it is a good sign that Georgia is finally doing something to address this horrible issue, it is outrageous that it takes people dying, a federal investigation and a investigative piece from the AJC to make this happen.
Having an ombudsmen and advocates for the most helpless of our residents [...]

Georgia’s continuing dysfunctional leadership

From the AJC. This sums it up for me…..

Laughingstock Legislature
Published on: 04/10/08
Members of the Georgia General Assembly, especially those from suburban Atlanta, like to make fun of Grady Memorial Hospital and its myriad problems. No doubt that has made it easier for the Legislature to justify repeatedly turning its back on the state’s largest [...]

State Health Director Stuart Brown to “retire”

Well, they used up another one. You don’t retire that fast…..he was pushed out I bet.
Why is it that DHR continues to switch out major management every 2-3 years in this state? Because changing out Directors fools most of the people of this state into thinking that something is happening. All that B.J. Walker [...]

While Georgia burns our politicians play the fiddle

I have not blogged much about the General Assembly or the Guv’nor this year mainly because they have not done ANYTHING worth a damn except play power games within the Republican party. This editorial captures perfectly the issues.
God, it is just great to live in a Red State.
OUR OPINION: STOP pandering on tax cuts and [...]

In Florida Mountain Dew will keep you from getting pregnant…

And this is the result of years of abstinence only education. Here is some video.

FLORIDA:   ”Students Would Get More than Abstinence-Only Under Sex Education Bill”
Associated Press     (04.01.08):: Bill Kaczor
On Tuesday, a bill seeking a more comprehensive approach to sex education in Florida’s schools passed a Senate committee by a 4-3 vote.
Florida currently relies [...]

CDC struggles with trying to view HIV issues through the lenses of conservative politics

This is yet another example of how the leadership at CDC has been replaced and hamstrung by conservative political appointees who either deny the issues, ignore them or subvert information to keep from having to address the issue of gay men of color and HIV. It is almost like the view from the Reagan years [...]

Unnatural Causes – it not just your genes or lack of access

Started March 27 but they are repeating the first episode this coming Wednesday and GPB will air it every Thursday for 6 more weeks.  Website for the film is here.
Healthy behaviors, molecular research, and of course, universal health care are all important. But evidence suggests they [...]

States with ecomonic downturns are cutting services to the needy

In California this is also affecting HIV+ people and their ability to continue drug regimens. It could happen in Georgia depending on what the state legislature does in the next few weeks.

States Are Hit Hard by Economic Downturn
Many Cutbacks Felt by Most Needy
By Keith B. Richburg and Ashley Surdin
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, March 31, 2008; [...]

CDC announces almost 50% increase of HIV positive people in US

It is not just one or the other. Rates are increasing due to lack of prevention efforts, national policy failures, and politics. The numbers also are showing a more complete picture of the epidemic….finally. The lack of good reliable numbers for HIV infections have been a problem for 25 years. It took Georgia from 2003 [...]

Jeff Graham to lead Georgia Equality

I have no doubt that Jeff Graham will make a huge impact on this issue. I have seen him in action and he is a true advocate.

Georgia Equality taps Graham as new executive director
Veteran HIV/AIDS activist to lead statewide gay rights group
By RYAN LEE
Mar. 28, 2008

Georgia Equality, the state’s largest gay [...]