THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, July 18, 1995 TAG: 9507180004
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 36 lines
Regarding ``Helms holds up bill for AIDS funding,'' news, July 6):
It is shameful that a senator can hold office after constantly tripping over matters so important to every American.
If Jesse Helms is not grasping the health risks of HIV and AIDS, how can we expect the young people of this country to understand how this disease affects them?
A lot of people will agree with me and say Helms should never have said the things he did because AIDS is no longer ``a gay disease;'' that it does not discriminate; that it can get ``anyone.'' Well, what if it was still ``just a gay disease''? It would still be wrong to wish death to someone because they happen to love the wrong person.
No one in his right mind should think it's OK for a disease to run rampant because it is killing a part of society they deem unworthy to live, although our own government certainly did not pay much attention until HIV did start affecting ``everyone.''
Money spent on research for other life-threatening diseases is very important, but no other is spreading at the rate of HIV and AIDS.
We are becoming very educated on how to make ourselves less at risk for heart disease and some forms of cancer. However people are just not getting it when it comes to AIDS (as shown by Jesse Helms).
DIANE K. MASKELL
Portsmouth, July 7, 1995 by CNB