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December 12, 2005
We All Have The Stupids
It's Friday night. Shabbos. Karen and I are sitting quietly in the living room, catching up on our reading. Suddenly, Karen shoots up on the couch and yelps:
"We all have AIDS! WHAT!?"
Karen has just seen the new publicity campaign to glamorize AIDS, the campaign created by Kenneth Cole to convince Americans that AIDS is an equal opportunity disease. Naturally, clueless Hollywood stars have rushed to appear in these ads.
Castro, who these same Hollywood stars just a-dore, has a different tactic with AIDS victims: he shtups them in gulags. But ask the Hollywood elite about this little totalitarian fact and they'll counter with something like: "Yes, but at least everyone has equal medical care."
But I digress.
They say the ads are to take away the stigma of AIDS. But there is no stigma to AIDS. This disease has been glamorized to the nth degree.
And it never should have been.
In truth, there should be a stigma to AIDS for a stigma would halt the various behaviors that spreads the disease.
Karen was in Israel when these disgusting print ads were first released and so she's just getting her first glance at them and her reaction is, well, pure shock.
Understand, in this marriage, I am the whacky side kick. Karen is the down-to-earth partner. Karen is the one who always counsels me to count to ten, take it easy, avoid confrontation.
But Karen is spitting mad. I have never seen her so angry.
For of course we all don't have AIDS. Here in America, at this point in time, AIDS is a disease which can be stopped in its tracks. No one has to get this disease. No one has to die from this disease.
If you don't know how to avoid AIDS, write to me privately and I'll explain it to you.
This glamorous print ad is just another monstrous lie which if taken seriously will end up killing more people.
Ask yourself, would they put out an ad that says: We All Have Cancer, a disease which kills far more people every year.
I don't think so.
The people who thought up and executed this vile ad are fools and liars.
Karen adds: The reason I was so angry was not because this was an ad, but because this was a declaration, a declaration that was so false and brazenly heartless. My reaction was, you say you have AIDS, I'll give you AIDS, here come here, give me your arm, come take some contaminated blood, let's see how you like having AIDS. What kind of person is so insensitive to the people who are really suffering, are they really willing to take on this disease? What liars. They do not have AIDS, they have colluded with those who portray AIDS as a "social disease" that unlike any other lethal disease has the protection that no other communicable disease is granted. If not for the confidentiality that AIDS patients are given this disease could have been vastly limited, (I know there are other ways of getting it) many years ago. It is to the shame of the political left and gay activists that have politicized a public health issue. Shame on you. There I have said it.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at December 12, 2005 08:37 AM
Comments
Seraphic Secret is private property, that's right, it's an extension of our home, and as such, Karen and I have instituted two Seraphic Rules and we ask commentors to act respectfully.
1. No profanity.2. No Israel bashing. We debate, we discuss, we are respectful. You know what Israel bashing is. The world is full of it. Seraphic Secret is one of the few places in the world that will not tolerate this form of anti-Semitism. That's it. Break either of these rules and you will be banned.
"..(W)hich brings together key entertainment, political, social and scientific leaders.."
By virtue of their participation in this nonsense, I daresay the affected scientists have no moral claim to the moniker of "leader".
Posted by: Brian at December 12, 2005 09:32 AM
Brian:
No, they are not leaders, they are sheep who follow and should be treated as such.
Posted by: Robert at December 12, 2005 09:42 AM
Maybe it was a printing error; maybe the ad was meant to say "We All Have ADD" ("starting with us").
Posted by: Pearl at December 12, 2005 10:20 AM
Pearl:
We could only wish. Alas, no.
Posted by: Robert at December 12, 2005 10:45 AM
I have not seen the add, but it sounds in poor taste and just plain...wrong!
But I did see Pride & Prejudice this weekend. And I cannot get it out of my mind. I loved it. Did you see it, Robert and Karen?
Posted by: Stacey at December 12, 2005 10:49 AM
Blogger Andrew Sullivan, who is HIV pos, denounced the whole 'we have AIDS campaign' for the self-congratulatory, politically correct, 'aren't we just so aware and compassionate' posturing, piece of garbage it is.
Posted by: Tamara at December 12, 2005 10:52 AM
Stacey:
We tried, oh, how we tried.
Tamara:
Good for Andrew Sullivan.
Posted by: Robert at December 12, 2005 10:57 AM
Robert, you must see it! And soon!!
Posted by: Stacey at December 12, 2005 11:05 AM
Hi Robert, I saw comedian Kathy Griffin talking about it, because she was asked to wear the tshirt while riding in a parade (I think the annual Hollywood Christmas Parade). I thought it quite a strange ad.
Perhaps it should read..."we all have causes that are important to us, and have a right to fight for them, announce them, advertise them, donate to them...and even take individual responsibility for them...but I, for one, do not want to claim I have disease that I don't have...seems to me that devalues the people who are truly suffering and living with it"
(Do you think that will all fit on a t-shirt?)
Posted by: Randi at December 12, 2005 11:09 AM
Randi:
Yes, in a very small font so that no one can read it. Hey, I have an idea. How about: We all have syphilis!
Posted by: Robert at December 12, 2005 11:20 AM
Hey guess what everybody? If you didn't already know, about 99% of all ads are patently false and potentially harmful. If it takes a politically or socially offensive ad to make you see this, then fine, but you should be offended by almost every ad you see.
Here's what I mean:
"All the News that's Fit to Print"
For whom, New York eltist snobs?
"Coke adds Life!"
To whom? My dentist, doctor or grocer?
"You've Come a Long Way Baby"
Yeah, now you can die early and jack the costs of healthcare for the rest of us smart enough not to smoke.
You get the idea. Just because this ad was supposed to be a "PSA" doesn't make it any more credible. If there's one thing I try to teach my students and my daughter, it's not to believe commercials. 1% of them may be true, but even so, we probably could do without whatever they're hawking anyway. Too bad these manipulative liars pay my salary.
Posted by: Jake at December 12, 2005 11:28 AM
Jake:
Yes, most ads are not true, but most ads do not glorify disease. Nor do most lies in ads countenance behavior which will lead to disease and death--which this ad most certainly does.
It's all a matter of degrees, and this ad steps way over too many lines.
Posted by: Robert at December 12, 2005 11:33 AM
Yes, this AIDS ad is an extreme example. But it's "fruit of the poison tree" to me. Remember, these are the same people who put together clothing ads with basicallly anorexic girls in them, and that glamorizes physical and mental disease. On the other end of the spectrum, you could argue fast food ads glorify very unhealthy behavior, etc.
Posted by: Jake at December 12, 2005 11:39 AM
There is a t.v. ad running lately, telling you to "talk to your children about not smoking...they'll listen to you"...brought to you by non-other than... Phillip Morris...talk about irony in advertising!!!
Posted by: Randi at December 12, 2005 11:48 AM
Jake:
One could argue -- and many have.
Posted by: Robert at December 12, 2005 11:56 AM
Randi:
Yeah I love that one! I sometimes think that entire ad campaign was made for stand-up comics.
Posted by: Jake at December 12, 2005 11:57 AM
Randi:
When it comes to advertising, there is no end to the ironies.
Posted by: Robert at December 12, 2005 11:58 AM
Well put Karen.
My sister...as well as countless others suffers from rheumetoid arthritis.....I don't see celebrity campaigns to make us more aware....
But, as you correctly point out, it is only because of radical left and homosexual groups that this disease has become the cause celeb.....though I am sure Tookie knocked it off their radar for a few moments.
Posted by: Lance at December 12, 2005 09:17 PM
This reminds me of those billboards on NY streets a few years ago with a multicultural array of people looking seriously at the camera (in black and white, to make clear that it was a Serious Public Service Announcement). The caption on each of them was "Anti-semitism affects me."
Well, any kind of bigotry affects everyone, but the message was so insipid. What was it supposed to do? Were skinheads or Islamofascists supposed to walk by and have the scales fall from their eyes?
I don't know who paid for this expensive campaign, I don't think it was the ADL. But it was a massive feelgood exercise that wasn't going to actually combat antisemitism. One speech at the UN by John Bolton does more to combat antisemitism than 50 posters.
Posted by: Yehudit at December 12, 2005 10:54 PM
Judith:
As always your comments are welcome and incredibly articulate. I never saw these billboards in New York and I'm glad I didn't. They would have made me sick.
I admire Ambassador Bolton tremendously and I'm glad that he's at the UN, but I admit that I have no hope for that organization. As far as I'm concerned the UN should be torn down and the earth salted.
Posted by: Robert Avrech at December 12, 2005 11:42 PM
Lance:
Thanks so much for your comment. I'm sorry to hear about your sister. Hollywood celebrities thoughtlessly flock to the next big cause to increase their visibility. They are selfish opportuniists. And not all that bright. The public should treat them as the fools they are.
Posted by: Karen Avrech at December 12, 2005 11:50 PM
One of the initial songs in the Team America movie was "Everyone Has AIDS."
Artist: Trey Parker Lyrics
Song: Everyone Has AIDS
Everyone has AIDS!
AIDS AIDS AIDS!
AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS!
Everyone has AIDS!
And so this is the end of our story
And everyone is dead from AIDS
It took from me my best friend
My only true pal
My only bright star (he died of AIDS)
Well I'm gonna march on Washington
Lead the fight and charge the brigades
There's a hero inside of all of us
I'll make them see everyone has AIDS
My father (AIDS!)
My sister (AIDS!)
My uncle and my cousin and her best friend (AIDS AIDS AIDS!)
The gays and the straights
And the white and the spades
Everyone has AIDS!
My grandma and my dog 'ol blue (AIDS AIDS AIDS)
The pope has got it and so do you (AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS)
C'mon everybody we got quilting to do (AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS)
We gotta break down these baricades, everyone has
AIDS! x 20
Posted by: Assistant Village Idiot at December 17, 2005 05:40 PM
I love how those of you who claim to be oppressed quickly become the oppressors. As a gay black man who works in HIV prevention, I find your comments terribly crass and without any value whatsoever. Talk about stupidity. You want respect? Sorry. I see no reason to respect you.
Posted by: Gary Paul at December 28, 2005 02:21 PM
Gary:
We never claimed to be oppressed. In fact, this is pretty much a viictimhood-free zone.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at December 29, 2005 09:35 PM