Sometimes you pick up the paper and read a story that knocks you over - literally. You think, no one could be that stupid! No one could be that far removed from reality! No one would even think of doing something like that!Elizabeth Dole, late of the Red Cross, and wife of failed Republican presidential aspirant, Bob Dole, is a Repugnican Senator herself (North Carolina). The Red Cross is quite fortunate. The United States Congress is not.
Senator Dole, for some reason which is fathomable only to the gods, "introduced an amendment to name an HIV/AIDS relief bill after the recently deceased Jesse Helms." (Or maybe she had another reason - see below.)
Rachel Weiner at the Huffington Post helps us understand the magnitude of this faux pas. While we might know, generally, that Jesse Helms was a homophobic, racist bigot, as well as a mean-spirited, cruel and nasty man, it is important to know the specifics.
Jesse Helms "was a strident foe of HIV/AIDS prevention, research and treatment." The blog, Joe.My.God details further Helms' efforts with regard to HIV/AIDS relief:
"Jesse Helms, the man who in 1987 described AIDS prevention literature as 'so obscene, so revolting, I may throw up.'
"Jesse Helms, the man who in 1988 vigorously opposed the Kennedy-Hatch AIDS research bill, saying, 'There is not one single case of AIDS in this country that cannot be traced in origin to sodomy.'
"Jesse Helms, the man who in 1995 said (in opposition to refunded the Ryan White Act) that the government should spend less on people with AIDS because they got sick due to their 'deliberate, disgusting, revolting conduct.'
"Jesse Helms, the man who in 2002 announced that he'd changed his mind about AIDS funding for Africa, but not for American gays, because homosexuality 'is the primary cause of the doubling and redoubling of AIDS cases in the United States.'
"In fact, in 1991 seven activists from the group ACT UP put a giant condom on Helm's Arlington home that said 'Helms Is Deadlier Than A Virus.'"
Hmmm. Could it be that Senator Dole was telling us something "subliminally?" I mean putting Helms' name on an AIDS bill is just about the last thing he would want. What the hell, he's dead; what can he do about it?
It's really rather funny when you think about it! The old boy is probably spinning in impotent agony in his grave.
The Jesse Helms HIV/AIDS bill. Now that's irony! We might even say that Helms gets screwed - in the end!
1 comment:
Helms and his ignorance about the AIDS disease and how it is spread amongst children, both sexes and the innocent, is responsible for the deaths of millions of people all over the world! His refusal to accept the science reminds me of those that do the same about other ills and problems. While they sit doing nothing positive, innocents die! Some do nothing because of their views about condoms in a different context than saving lives, even those they do not approve of. They are apparently immune to human suffering if it is due to something offensive tot hem. What would Jesus say or do has little relevance to them. They know everything and science is a hoax.
E Dole should review her hero’s history and see what harm to other human being in need, his ignorance and meanness has caused. We cannot cure stupidity but we do not have to encourage it or allow it to affect our judgment. We certainly should not honor it!
Bob Poris
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