America's door shut to foreigners with HIV

The Chicago Tribune ^ | 7-12-2006 | Bonnie Miller Rubin

[satchmodog9]

In the early years of AIDS, when many people thought a deadly disease dubbed "the gay cancer" might be transmitted via drinking glasses or doorknobs, Congress added HIV to the list of infections that could prevent a foreign visitor from entering the country.

Nearly two decades later, as the international Gay Games begin in Chicago this weekend, the law still bars any HIV-positive foreigner from visiting the U.S., whether it is to play basketball, attend a business meeting or stand up in a family wedding.

Though immigration officials have granted a waiver to allow athletes to attend the games--just as they did in 1994, when the event was held in New York City--many health experts are frustrated and puzzled that the rule exists at all.

[satchmodog9]

Why is AIDS everyones problem at the same time AIDS infections are none of anyones business or no big deal. This article is pure puke.

[blueminnesota]

You mean all the illegal immigrants are tested before they arrive? Oh, what a weight off my mind!

/s

[Slump Tester]

I'm glad to see we're still doing it right though.

[Mr. Jeeves]

America's door shut to foreigners with HIV

Now, if we could just shut it to foreigners without talent. ;)

[Centurion2000]

the law still bars any HIV-positive foreigner from visiting the U.S

Thank God. The TB we get from inbound people is bad enough.

[satchmodog9]

Seems the athletes are starting to adopt a don't ask don't tell attitude.

[MJG]

I don't know how I'm going to get past this.

I'll never be able to sleep at night knowing that we're keeping AIDS infected foreigners from attending the prestigious "Gay Games".

[xcamel]

ummm... GOOD!

[Dilbert San Diego]

Why is there concern about foreign visitors with AIDS coming to the Gay Games? I don't get the connection. We're not supposed to profile people, so isn't it bigoted to make a connection between the Gay Games and AIDS?

And aren't we making certain bad assumptions that somehow these visitors might spread AIDS?

[Oschisms]

We're supposed to welcome people who will soon be too sick to work, people whose expensive treatment will have to be subsidized by the taxpayer?

If they have so much as a cough, keep 'em out. That's what my grandparents had to deal with. It was a sensible policy.

[DoughtyOne]

Hmmm, if the majority of people who have AIDS are homosexuals and a majority of them contracted the disease by not avoiding unsafe sexual acts, why should we allow them into the nation to expose others to their malidy?

Frankly, I'm appauled by the notion that we should.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

No and No.

[Dilbert San Diego]

Well, I think we understand that "political correctness" says that this law should be changed to welcome everyone with HIV and AIDS to America.

While AIDS isn't spread like a common cold or other sicknesses, it's still a threat to public health.

I think any change in the law should be based on our own national interest and health concerns, not catering to lobbying groups or pressure groups or political correctness.

[monkeywrench]

Wasn't it jf'nkerry that wanted to give something like 250,000 HIV infectd gays citizenship?

[satchmodog9]

I think the assumptions are correct. AIDS is not spread by casual contact. They obviously got it by sexual contact or heroin use. More evidence that their pathological acts spread the disease more each time. Infected people keep screwing infected people. That is pathological behavior and it does not single out homosexuals.

[satchmodog9]

Do you have a link? I would be interested in reading about that. Another stupid Kerryism. Sounds more like something Clinton would have said.

[joem15]

OK then, what are some of the events at The Gay Games? I can think of Ball Room Dancing, a Waiter Contest (Hi, my name is goeffory and I'll be your server tonight? Our special is Lamb Kabobs?). Interpretive Dance done to YMCA by The Village people. And, of course, Platform and Spring Board Diving judged by Greg Louganis himself. What else is there?

[Suzy Quzy]

You forgot Men's Syncronized swimming.

[Old_Mil]

It's about time! Now if we could build a war on the southern border and stop all the HIV positive illegals from strolling across.

[Ouderkirk]

This writer is such a dope...it was and is called the gay plague, not the gay cancer.