Recommended TV Viewing tonight! (And a great Web site)

Frontline: The Age of AIDS is a 2-part, four-hour show that will conclude tonight on PBS. (In the Twin Cities, it's on TPT-2 from 8:00-10.) I watched the first half last night, and it was excellent. They have also set up an awesome Web site that has lots of cool features- a timeline, an interactive world map, interviews- loads of information.

The US has handled the HIV/AIDS crisis so horribly. Reagan gave exactly one speech about AIDS. He first talked about compassion, tolerance, and education. Then he said he wanted all immigrants tested before being admitted to the country! In the same speech, Reagan heeded Special Assistant to the US Attorney John Robert's advice to not say that AIDS could only be spread through blood or sexual contact, since scientists had not "unequivocally" stated this. (Yes, that guy is now our Chief Justice, and yes, 99.9% of scientists were screaming that AIDS could definitely not be transmitted through saliva, mosquitoes, handshakes, coughing, etc.)

Our country continues to botch things, from refusing funding for needle-exchange programs and sexual education, to simply dropping the ball on advocacy and awareness- over 20% of Americans believe HIV can be spread by sharing a drinking glass!

While many people are under the assumption that AIDS is no longer a problem, that couldn't be further from the truth. AIDS is the leading cause of death among 25-44 year-old African Americans. Young African American women are 7 times more likely than their white counterparts to be HIV positive.

In South Africa, 5.3 million people (15.6% of the population) are living with HIV. This includes 30% of all pregnant women, while 33% of 25-29 year-olds are infected with the virus.

In the United States, 78% of the patients who need treatment are receiving drugs. In South Africa, that number is 23%.

In 2003, there were 14,000 AIDS deaths in the US, and 370,000 in South Africa.

90% of the 40 million HIV-positive people worldwide are not aware that they are infected!

Watch Frontline tonight, and check out the Web site when you get a moment. It makes me want to dedicate my life to AIDS advocacy.