Sumatra-Andaman earthquake/tsunami - 275,000 people

Iraq war - 1,954 US troops, at least 26,457 Iraqi Civilians

Hurrican Katrina - 1,069 people

Earthquake in South Asia yesterday - about 20,000 people

so i agree, natural disasters and wars can totally suck and cause a large loss of life. we should continue to pray for these people and their families affected by these happenings.

BUT check out these numbers:

about 8,500 people die every day due to AIDS.
3.1 million deaths in 2004, 510,000 among children under 15.
about 32 million people have died from AIDS since the beginning of the pandemic.

i guess what i am saying is, we don't see news headlines deidcated to HIV/AIDS pandemic. it goes on and on, with out our attention. yet it seems to me the numbers of people dying is much greater when it comes to HIV/AIDS than these other death-filled events.

people write songs, musicals and books.
but still it seems like nobody cares.

we make fun of them. Example: the movie Team America World Police, when they put on the musical LEASE and they sing the song called "Everyone Has AIDS" Lyrics by Trey Parker. here are the lyrics:

Everyone has AIDS!
AIDS AIDS AIDS!
AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS!
Everyone has AIDS!

And so this is the end of our story
And everyone is dead from AIDS
It took from me my best friend
My only true pal
My only bright star (he died of AIDS)

Well I'm gonna march on Washington
Lead the fight and charge the brigades
There's a hero inside of all of us
I'll make them see everyone has AIDS

My father (AIDS!)
My sister (AIDS!)
My uncle and my cousin and her best friend (AIDS AIDS AIDS!)
The gays and the straights
And the white and the spades

Everyone has AIDS!
My grandma and my dog 'ol blue (AIDS AIDS AIDS)
The pope has got it and so do you (AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS)
C'mon everybody we got quilting to do (AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS AIDS)
We gotta break down these baricades, everyone has
AIDS! x 20

So I will openly admit, that I found this scene to be hilarous, they are making fun of RENT and they are exaggerating and it is funny. i mean just thinking about this scene and reading these lyrics i am still laughing.

BUT it is sick because what is not funny is that in Sub-Saharhen Africa, this song is true. EVERYONE has AIDS.

so why isn't HIV/AIDS a headline everyday? it kills enough people to be a headline

can we do anything besides join campaigns that seem to be a lot of bark and no bite?

can I stop being a jerk and stop laughing my butts off at stuff that makes fun of AIDS?

i am not sure anyone will have an answer, but it is definately something to think about.

byeness