It's really been a hot minute since my last update so I am going to cover a few issues/thoughts/medical updates in this blog. From the feedback that I get these are the kind of blog postings you like. Minus the sometimes infrequent updates :)
The first thing I want to cover is civil rights. Miss Sherrod (former USDA official) has been all up in the news recently and as I was sitting on the bus today I noticed the Civil Rights Act posting on the interior wall. I got to thinking what if the Civil Rights Act of 1964 read: "Under federal law it is unlawful to deny access or services with regards to race, color, national origin or sexual orientation. " Where would the GLBT movement be today? Adding two little words could have set our movement light years ahead. Remembering that the infamous Stonewall Riots occurred only 5 years after the signing of the Civil Rights Act. Hmmmmmm just some random thought.
I just got out the hospital on Tuesday after a week stint of PCP. Yes my friends, PCP. My CD4 count is at 200 and my viral load at 4800. My chest x-ray was clear but when they did the CT scan with that wonderful toxic, body warming, nuclear contrast they noticed the tell tell signs of inflammation and 7 different infiltrates growing on my lungs. We all remember my wonderful time with infiltrates and the lung shortly after I started my blog. Joyous occasion. I say all of that to say this. While I was shacked up in Northwestern Memorial Hospital I got to thinking...Where would the fight against HIV/AIDS be TODAY if Harvey Milk had not been assassinated in 1978 just 4 years before the epidemic was diagnosed in the US for the first time. For those of you who need a refresher or don't know who Harvey Milk is (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Milk). Harvey Milk is my hero and idol. I have based my public service career based on his tactics. He was an amazing man. Anyway he was instrumental in defeating Anita Bryant's Campaign in California and the State's Proposition 6 ballot. Prop 6 would have allowed firing of any public servant just because of their sexual orientation. This was the first time the extremists had been defeated in the Nation. And he spearheaded the movement. If in fact he was able to do that IMAGINE what he could have done to the face of early face of funding for HIV/AIDS. WOW. The gifts/talents our nation will never see affects us all. How sad is it that the bullet of a madman really ruins the possibility of a brighter future for millions?
Remember the commercial "What would you do for a Klondike Bar?" I want to rephrase it a bit...What would you do....
- to save the life of a loved one?
- to save your own life?
- to prevent or attempt to prevent someone from making the biggest and costliest mistake of their life?
- to save your relationship?
- to become a more honest and caring person?
Such questions really cannot and are not easily answered. We put strings, stipulations, and expectations on them when these are the questions that in all honesty should be no brainers and simple one line answers...ANYTHING! "Well they hurt me" Well it doesn't mean you stop caring or loving that person! I have found myself going to extremes from swallowing a bottle of pills to physical violence because the person I love more than life itself would rather sleep with someone other than me. Does that make it right NO. I really struggle with self esteem and the feeling of not being loved. Not by family or friends....the other kind of being loved. However, I digress. These are just some random thoughts and issues I am sorting through right now. It's late kiddies and my nighty meds are starting to kick in :) I'm going to close for now. Until next time.
Hugs and love,
James
10 July 2010
New Winds of Change
I'm in process of starting life anew. I have been brought to new levels of both humility and being humble. I am in the process of trying to compose probably the second hardest posting of the life of this blog and will be hoping to get a lot of feedback and input from you my readers. Also, I am doing something a little out of the box. For those of you who follow me and even newcomers I want to know what do you want me to write about? Life, yes of course, but I have got a few suggestions of topics people want my feelings on so I am going to make this kind of a suggestion time for you the readers. Don't be shy! More to come on the new winds of change in the upcoming days.
Hugs and love,
James
Hugs and love,
James
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