Andrew Sullivan: Say no to phobia: Remove HIV ban for U.S. entry

[Bluebear]

Twelve countries ban HIV-positive visitors, nonimmigrants and immigrants from their territory: Armenia, Brunei, Iraq, Libya, Moldova, Oman, Qatar, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sudan and ... the United States. China recently acted to remove its ban on HIV-positive visitors because it feared embarrassment ahead of the Olympics. But America's ban remains.

It seems unthinkable that the country that has been the most generous in helping people with HIV should legally ban all non-Americans who are HIV-positive. But it's true: The leading center of public and private HIV research discriminates against those with HIV.

HIV is the only medical condition permanently designated in law — in the Immigration and Nationality Act — as grounds for inadmissibility to the United States. Even leprosy and tuberculosis are left to the discretion of the secretary of health and human services...

People with HIV are no less worthy of being citizens of the United States than anyone else. All we ask is to be able to visit, live and work in America and, for some of us, to realize our dream of becoming Americans — whether we are HIV-positive or not.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/5789003.html

[glowing]

1. Unless Universal Healthcare is achieved, I'm not sure you will have many

Americans agreeing to allow already "sick" individuals in that will either not have medical insurance.. so use and skip pay the system.. or use medicare/ medicaid for expensive treatments... Until this is Universal is reached, I'm not sure many would agree to adding costs to the costly system as it is now...

[SalmonChantedEvening]

2. K&R! End this stupdity now.

Love the sigline Bluebear :)

:hi: :hug:

[FunkyLeprechaun]

3. I had no idea

I'm planning a party in August for the people who couldn't come to the UK for my wedding. I know one who has the disease and has expressed interest in coming to my party in the US in August (he is one of our very good friends).

However I see a number of countries the person's been to (Libya, Oman, Qatar, Sudan), plus he's been to the US many many many times. So I wonder how they know a person has the disease? Is it on their passport records or something like that?

[Brazenly Liberal]

4. I hate it when I agree with Andrew Sullivan

How can one man be so incredibly obnoxious and 5 minutes later make so much sense? I suspect he is secretly twins.

In this case, Good Andrew has triumphed over Evil Andrew and he is absolutely right. AIDS is not the unknown entity it once was. We know how it's spread. Real, honest, broadspread education is the key, not muttering "abstinence only" and revictimizing people.

[marmar]

5. Even Andrew Sullivan has moments of lucidity.....

.... His clarity seems to have increased since the Iraq War became uncool.

[entanglement]

6. "The ban was the brainchild of Senator Jesse Helms..."

Surprise, surprise :eyes:

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. Personally, I think HIV positive foreigners deserve a better advocate

than someone who advertised for barebacking, cuz, that little bit of history makes Andrew Sullivan the proponent and the argument against, at the same time. Not that I think what he did should make for a solid argument against, but, that's how it will pan out.