"The young know how truly difficult and dreadful youth can be. Their youth is wasted on everyone else, that's the horror. The young have no authority, no respect." Anne Rice
If under 18, the crime is punishable up to 5 years in prison.
There are no know benefits of Female Circumcision.
In fact the symptoms are acute.
What is your opinion? Is it the preservation of culture or the destruction of the female body?
I know several people who died of AIDS. Two lived near me and one of them I helped care for until his death. All of those I know acquired AIDS before we knew what it was, obviously none of them survived with it long enough to benefit from the combined anti-viral drug therapies available today. I witnessed the effects of this disease; it’s a terrible disease and it is heart breaking to watch a friend slowly die. Quite early on, even before we knew its cause, it was obviously a sexually transmitted condition. Once we knew its cause it became almost 100% preventable. Those who recognized the facts and changed their behavior, like I did, didn’t get it and don’t have it. I am saddened and infuriated by those who refuse to accept the facts of its means of transmission and behave in a manner that allows AIDS to persist and increase among us. Please just be safer and you can know there is almost no chance you will get it and almost no chance you will give it to someone else. If you are reading this on Tumblr there is no reason to not know how to do safer sex, just Google it.
If you don’t have what you need to be safer, don’t share sex. It is not worth the risk. The currently available therapies are not a cure. These therapies only suppress the AIDS virus and the anti-viral drugs used have miserable side effects.
As for AIDS in Africa, from what I’ve read or learned from the news, in some places the incidence of AIDS is so great it seems overwhelming. An almost impossible intervention is needed. I believe it could be possible for the participating non-government organizations, charitable foundations, world government assistance (from the United Nations and its wealthier member countries) and the governments of the countries of Africa to collaborate and accomplish such an intervention. Sadly, the fascist behaviors of many political regimes in Africa preclude such a collaborative effort in some regions of the continent.
For Africa, what we in the United States can do, those who are able, is give generously to the charitable foundations with the greatest hope and opportunity to make some difference. I don’t think I know enough about them to be able to recommend any foundations.
Close to home, where ever you are, you can write to or talk with politicians and community leaders and encourage them to allow and become advocates for more and better education about AIDS.
