Bush And Warren On AIDS

Yesterday, the president and Christianist Rick Warren had a conversation about HIV and AIDS. As the epidemic continues in this country - still largely among men who have sex with men, especially black men who have sex with men - neither Warren nor Bush could mention homosexuality, or the role that homophobia plays in fueling the epidemic among African-Americans. To leave out combating the stigma of homosexuality from a discussion of preventing HIV transmission is like leaving water temperature out of a discussion of hurricanes. The president deserves praise for helping many people in Africa to overcome this disease. But because he cannot address homophobia and cannot even say the word 'gay' in public or address this issue directly, his legacy in America is actually an increase in HIV transmission.

The atitudes among African-Americans that brought 70 percent of black voters to support Prop 8 in California are the attitudes that are killing black men at historic rates. It's communal suicide by homophobia. And this president's legacy is the entrenchment and exploitation of the attitudes that fuel that suicide. He is basking in praise and self-congratulation. But his denialism runs deep.