25 years and still killing

By Shane Goodman shane@dmcityview.com

AIDS. The very sound of the word strikes fear in all of us. And it should. More than 25 years after its first reports, AIDS is still a deadly disease, and no cure is in sight. It has now affected and infected 40 million people worldwide.

But AIDS only affects gays, right? I used to think so. And although it is true that the majority of those infected with AIDS have engaged in homosexual activity, these numbers are changing, specifically in regards to women and African-Americans. In our Docket Diving feature last week, we reported on a court case involving a young Iowa man who was charged with criminal transmission of HIV to a 17-year-old girl who was unaware of his infection. This disease is spreading across all sexual, racial and age barriers.

There are many statistics about AIDS that the homosexual and heterosexual groups use to exemplify their views. Meanwhile, we still have a disease that is killing people - blacks, whites, gays, straights, men, women, even babies. These innocent deaths are what concern me the most. The Bush administration tells us that abstinence is the answer, and it is correct. But, as we have learned, saying "no" is easier said than done. And AIDS continues to kill.

Our cover story this week captures the timeline of this disease and the media's response (or lack thereof). It highlights five lessons that we have learned or unlearned from the epidemic. We also interviewed Peggy Stecklein of the AIDS Project of Central Iowa, and she shared with us how the disease and the public's perception of it have changed here in Iowa. It's an informative story that I encourage you to make time for.

Thanks for reading.

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