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Late one night while traveling I happened to tune into discussion on a talk radio station commenting on the issue of government support of AIDS treatment and intervention. Assuming the responding callers were an accurate representation of the show's normal audience it was quite clear that the general tone was one of disapproval. One caller aggressively argued that AIDS is not an issue for the public to deal with. Speaking specifically of the AIDS crisis in African countries he remarked " Why should we help the animals if they can't control themselves?" Several other callers echoed his blatantly racist remarks in a more politically correct manner; their comments however, remained discriminatory and disheartening. It was quite obvious that none of the respondents had considered the health of blacks and all other infected individuals around the world as an inherent right to be promoted and protected under all circumstances.
For all blacks that are affected by HIV/AIDS, it is essential to understand how the issue can be addressed in terms of policy and rights. Risky behaviors are considered to be the primary mode of transmission however, this does not deny an individual the guarantee to achieve all their basic human capacities. Health disparities, economics, discrimination and education are all aspects of the issue in which societal recognition is called upon. Being that all individuals are born into society and obey the rules of the state, it is the responsibility of that governing body to maintain the health of all individuals that it was instituted to protect. In other words the maintenance of health of blacks is not a privilege to be earned but a basic right .
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