ADDRESS

BY

C, EVERETT KOOP, MD, ScD
  SURGEON GENERAL

       OF THE

U, S, PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE

          AND

  DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF HEALTH
U, S, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

PRESENTED AT THE GOLD MEDALLION BOOK AWARDS BANQUET
OF THE EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN PUBLISHER'S ASSOCIATION
         ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA
           JULY 11, 1987


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(GREETINGS TO HOSTS, GUESTS, FRIENDS, ETC.>

  IT'S MY GREAT PLEASURE TO COME BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING TO RENEW

AN OLD AND VALUED FRIENDSHIP WITH THE MEMBERS OF THIS ORGANIZATION AND

TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS WITH YOU,

  FIRST OF ALL, AND ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, a ,AS AN EVANGELICAL

CHRISTIAN MYSELF, ,, I WANT TO THANK EACH ONE OF YOU FOR MAINTAINING A

PLACE FOR CHRISTIAN PUBLISHING IN OUR SOCIETY,

I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT YOUR BUSINESSmBUT I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT

IT'S EASY,


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  AMERICA IS A WONDERFUL COUNTRY-AND WHEN I TOOK THE POSITION OF
SURGEON GENERAL I TOOK AN OATH TO UPHOLD OUR COUNTRY AND I DID SO

WILLINGLY,

BUT YOU HAVE TO WONDER SOMETIMES WHY, IN THIS WONDERFUL COUNTRY

OF OURS, IT'S SO TERRIBLY HARD TO )jE- GOOD, ,,AND TO &l GOOD,

  I KNOW THERE'S A MESSAGE THERE, AND I KNOW THAT THE MESSAGE HAS
SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE NEED TO INVEST OF YOURSELF,,,TO REALLY FEEL
THE JOY AND TO FEEL THE HURTmWHEN YOU CARRY OUT ACTS OF LOVE AND

CHARITY AND OF PEACE AND OF JUSTICE,


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  I KNOW THAT, STILL, TO LIVE AS SALT AND LIGHT REMAINS A GREAT

CHALLENGE FOR A CHRISTIAN IN OUR SOCIETY, IN PUBLIC LIFE, IT'S THE

COMMITMENT TO DECENCY IS UNDER THE CONSTANT SIEGE OF POWERFUL AND

NEGATIVE FORCES IN OUR CULTURE:

*   TELEVISION SHOWS THAT GLAMORIZE VIOLENCE,,,

+   MOTION PICTURES THAT BRUTALIZE THE ACT OF LOVE,,,

+   NEWSPAPERS THAT SENSATIONALIZE HUMAN PAIN AND SORROW,,,

+   AND BOOK PUBLISHERS THAT SCANDALIZE THE HUMAN SPIRIT,


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  AS I SAY, I DON'T KNOW YOUR BUSINESS ALL THAT WELL, ,,BUT I KNOW

YOU'RE BETTER THAN THAT, AND, FOR MYSELF AND MILLIONS OF OTHER

AMERICANS JUST LIKE ME, I WANT TO EXTEND MY THANKS,

  YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL OF MY PREDECESSORS THAT, YES
INDEED, THERE Is LIFE AFTER BEING SURGEON GENERAL, AND IN A COUPLE OF
YEARS, WHEN THIS SECOND TERM IS OVER, I EXPECT TO PUT MY UNIFORM BACK

IN THE CLOSETmAND NOT TAKE IT OUT AGAIN,

  I'LL BE A PLAIN CITIZEN ONCE MORE, AND I INTEND TO SPEND SOME

TIME CATCHING MY BREATH, COLLECTING MY THOUGHTS, AND GETTING RE-

ACQUAINTED WITH MANY GOOD FRIENDS IN THE EVANGELICAL MOVEMENT,,,

FRIENDS WHO HAVE SHOWN ME INFINITE LOVE AND PATIENCE THROUGH THESE TWO

TERMS AS SURGEON GENERAL,


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  WE'VE HAD MANY SERIOUS MOMENTS TOGETHER OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS,
WE'VE CONFRONTED THE PROFOUND MORAL AND ETHICAL QUESTIONS RAISED BY

"BABY DOE,"

THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY UNDERSTOOD MY STRUGGLE,, @AND SUPPORTED

ME,

AND TOGETHER,, , I KNOW WE WERE RIGHT,

  WE CONFRONTED THE ISSUE OF PORNOGRAPHY IN AMERICAN LIFE, WE
DARED TO SPEAK AGAINST THE HARM THAT SUCH TRASH VISITS UPON THE HUMAN

SPIRIT,


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AGAIN, WHEN OTHERS STEPPED BACK,,,YOU STEPPED FORWARD,

YOU UNDERSTOOD THE ISSUE,, ,AND YOU SUPPORTED ME,

AND TOGETHER,,,WE WERE RIGHT,

  THEY SAY THAT "A CLOSED MOUTH GATHERS NO FEET," I SUPPOSE THAT'S

TRUE, CERTAINLY I'VE BEEN NO STRANGER TO CONTROVERSY, ,,AND

CONTROVERSY HAS BEEN NO STRANGER TO ME,

BUT I'VE BEEN BLESSED WITH GOOD FRIENDS, GOOD COLLEAGUES, AND A

STRONG FAITH,

I'VE NEEDED ALL THREE, AND TODAY, I NEED THEM ALL MORE THAN

EVER,


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THE NEW ISSUE WE FACE,,,TOGETHER,,,IS THE ISSUE OF AIDS, WHAT IS

IT? AND WHAT SHOULD WE DO ABOUT IT?

  SO MUCH HAS BEEN WRITTEN AND SAID ABOUT AIDS THAT I WON'T TAKE

THE TIME TO GO OVER IT ALL AGAIN, INSTEAD, LET ME EMPHASIZE JUST A

FEW KEY POINTS FROM MY OWN PERSPECTIVE AS YOUR SURGEON GENERAL,

  FIRST, AIDS IS CAUSED BY A MYSTERIOUS VIRUS ABOUT WHICH WE STILL

KNOW VERY LITTLE, IN FACT, IN THE COURSE OF THE PAST FIVE YEARS IT'S

BEEN GIVEN MANY DIFFERENT NAMES CURRENTLY IT'S CALLED THE "HUMAN

IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS," OR H,I,V,


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  BUT THE MYSTERY OF THE THING IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER, IT MEANS

THAT WE MUST APPROACH EVERY ISSUE SURROUNDING AIDS WITH THE GREATEST

CAUTION, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO MAKE SWEEPING, RADICAL DECISIONS, BECAUSE

WE STILL DON'T KNOW HOW EXTENSIVE A PLAGUE WE HAVE UPON US AND HOW

LONG IT MIGHT LAST,

  THEREFORE, WE MUST MOVE FORWARD,, #BUT VERY CONSERVATIVELY, AND I

DON'T MEAN THAT IN A POLITICAL SENSE AT ALL, I MEAN THAT IN A

MANAGEMENT SENSEwMOVING WITH CAREunMAKING SOME NECESSARY ADJUST-

MENTS, ,,BUT NOT PUTTING OUR FUNDAMENTAL VALUES AT RISK,

   I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT SCIENCE -- ESPECIALLY SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY IN

A FREE SOCIETY LIKE OURS -- WILL EVENTUALLY GET US OUT OF THIS AIDS

MESS,

  BUT I SHOULD SAY THAT IN THIS DISEASE, LIKE NO OTHER, SCIENCE AND

MORALITY WALK HAND IN HAND AND SIDE BY SIDE TOWARD THE CONTAINMENT OF

THE EPIDEMIC,

BUT MEANWHILE WE'RE STILL CONFRONTED BY THE MYSTERY OF THE THING,


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THE SECOND POINT TO REMEMBER IS THAT AIDS IS A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE

AND IT'S GROWING,

  IN THE YEAR THAT ENDED ON JUNE 1, 1986, WE REPORTED 10,000 NEW

CASES,  BUT WITH THE YEAR THAT ENDED ON JUNE 1, 1987, WE HAD ADDED

ALMOST 15,000 NEW CASES,

  AT THIS RATE OF GROWTH, MY COLLEAGUES IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH

SERVICE PREDICT THAT IN 1991 WE COULD ADD AS MANY AS 90,000 NEW

PATIENTS TO THE ROLLS, THAT WOULD MEAN THAT, IN THE lo-YEAR HISTORY
OF THIS DISEASE, A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE WILL HAVE CONTRACTED

AIDS,


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A THIRDPOINT IS THAT THE DISEASE OF AIDS IS SPREADING GEO-

GRAPHICALLY, ALSO,

   THERE WAS A TIME -- JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, IN FACT -- WHEN OUR

CONCERNS ABOUT AIDS WERE CENTERED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY IN THE

POPULATIONS MOST AT RISK, AND THEY WERE PRIMARILY HOMOSEXUAL AND

BISEXUAL MEN IN SAN FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES, AND NEW YORK CITY.

  WHILE THESE THREE CITIES STILL HAVE THE HIGHEST NUMBERS OF AIDS

CASES, THEY'RE NO LONGER ALONE, AT THE LATEST COUNT, 19 MAJOR CITIES

HAVE EACH REPORTED MORE THAN 300 CASES OF AIDS SINCE 1981,

AND AS OF THIS YEAR, ONE OR MORE CASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN ALL

50 STATES, GUAM, THE TRUST TERRITORIES, AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS,


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  AT ONE TIME PEOPLE COULD SAY, "OH, AIDS, ,,WELL, THAT'S THEIR

PROBLEM, IT'S NOT OURS HERE IN SEATTLE, OR ATLANTA, OR BOSTON, OR

SOUTH DAKOTA,"  BUT THE FACT IS, ,,THE DISEASE HAS NOW SHOWED UP JUST

ABOUT EVERYWHERE AND IT Ls. NOW.EVERYBODY'S PROBLEM,

  AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE JUST

LAST MONTH IN WASHINGTON, DnC, AND AT THAT TIME THE WORLD HEALTH

ORGANIZATION ANNOUNCED THAT IT HAD RECEIVED REPORTS OF OF OVER 50,000

AIDS CASES FROM 113 COUNTRIES,,,ICELAND, PARAGUAY, THE BAHAMAS-THE

DISEASE IS NOW A "WORLD-CLASS" DISEASE,

   IN SOME CENTRAL AFRICAN COUNTRIES AS MANY AS 11 PERCENT OF THE

POPULATION ARE INFECTED WITH THE VIRUS, VILLAGES ARE DECIMATED, MANY

FEAR THAT IN THE NEXT DECADE AND A HALF THERE WILL NOT BE A SUFFICIENT

NUMBER OF YOUNG, EDUCATED, MEN AND WOMEN LEFT TO RUN THE GOVERNMENT,

THE FACTORIES, AND THE BUSINESSES OF THESE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES,

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE I WANT TO RETURN TO IT IN A MOMENT,

  MY FOURTH AND FOURTHFINAL POINT IS THAT THE DISEASE OF AIDS IS

CONSIDERED TO BE 100 PERCENT FATAL, AND THAT'S THE FUNDAMENTAL REASON

WE'RE SO WORRIED ABOUT IT,


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  IN ALL THE TALK ABOUT WHO HAS IT AND WHERE AND WHY, LET'S NOT

OVERLOOK THE FACT THAT PEOPLE DIE OF IT, AND WE'RE DISCOVERING NOW

THAT INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE DYING OF ITdJNSUSPECTING WIVES OF INFECTED

MEN,, #THE NEWBORN BABIES OF INFECTED WOMEN, a ,THESE ALSO ARE AMONG THE

DEAD AND DYING,

  WE FIRST BEGAN REPORTING CASES OF AIDS IN 1981, AS OF TODAY,

ABOUT 90 PERCENT OF THOSE 1981 PATIENTS ARE DEAD, a,87 PERCENT OF THE

PEOPLE REPORTED IN 1982 ARE NOW DEAD-85 PERCENT OF THE 1983

PEOPLE, a ,AND SO ON,

AIDS IS AN UGLY, RELENTLESS, AND LETHAL DISEASE, WE HAVE EVERY

REASON TO FEAR ITS SPREAD,


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BUT JUST HOW Is IT SPREAD?

  IT'S SPREAD, AS JUST ABOUT THE WHOLE WORLD KNOWS BY NOW, WHEN THE

INFECTED BLOOD OR SEMEN FROM ONE PERSON ENTERS THE BODY OF ANOTHER,

AND THAT HAPPENS MOST OFTEN DURING CERTAIN HIGH-RISK SEX PRACTICES

ENGAGED IN BY HOMOSEXUALS AND BISEXUAL MEN,,, IT HAPPENS WHEN AN

INFECTED DRUG ADDICT LOANS HIS CONTAMINATED NEEDLE TO ANOTHER ADDICT

,,,AND NOW WE DISCOVER THAT IT'S ALSO TRANSMITTED DURING HETEROSEXUAL

INTERCOURSE AS WELL,

NOW, I AGREE THAT THE AIDS VIRUS IS PASSED ALONG BY PEOPLE WHO DO

THINGS THAT WE THINK THEY SHOULDN'T DO IN THE FIRST PLACE,


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  I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT CONDONE INTRAVENOUS DRUG ABUSE AND I FLATLY
OPPOSE THE KIND OF SEXUAL PROMISCUITY -- AMONG MEN AND WOMEN -- THAT
ENDANGERS ANY PERSON'S PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SPIRITUAL

HEALTH,

I THINK THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR IS WRONGmWRONG ON PUBLIC HEALTH

GROUNDS,, #AND WRONG ON MORAL GROUNDS,

  BUT I'M NOT THE CHAPLAIN OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, I'M THEIR

SURGEON GENERAL,  IT'S MY JOB TO WAGE ALL-OUT WAR AGAINST DISEASE, ,a
AND NOT AGAINST PEOPLE, AND MY CONCERN HAS TO BE,, aAND IT MOST
DEFINITELY ISooTHE NEED TO STOP THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF THE AIDS
VIRUS, WE MUST DO THAT IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY POSSIBLE, CONSISTENT

WITH OUR LAWS AND TRADITIONS,


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AND WE MUST DO THAT TO SAVE THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WE KNOW AND DON'T

KNOW,, aPEOPLE WE LIKE AND DON'T LIKE,

   IT IS ESSENTIAL, THEREFORE, THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE A CLEAR

UNDERSTANDING OF THE THREAT POSED TO THEM BY THIS DISEASE AND ARE,

THEMSELVES, READY TO FIGHT BACK WITH THE BEST AND ONLY WEAPON THAT'S

AVAILABLE: THEIR INTELLIGENT BEHAVIOR,

  AND FOR THAT, OF COURSE, WE NEED TO MATCH UP THE BEST SCIENCE WE

HAVE WITH THE BEST EDUCATION WE CAN CARRY OUT FOR THE SAKE OF ALL

AMERICANS,


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  NOBODY OBJECTS TO THAT NOTION, BUT THERE ARE SOME HONEST

DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ABOUT THE AGE OF THE AMERICANS WE WANT TO

EDUCATE,

  FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH POINT OF VIEW, I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT WE

NEED TO TELL CHILDREN AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THE REAL WORLD OF

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND SELF-RESPECT,

WITH THAT AS A FOUNDATION, WE NEED TO GO ON TO INTRODUCE THEM TO

THE MIRACLES OF THEIR OWN BIOLOGY AND THEIR OWN SEXUALITY,

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT HUMAN CARING AND LOVE AND MUTUAL RESPECT,

I'LL TELL YOU MY "BIASES" RIGHT NOW, I DON'T HIDE THEM, HERE'S

WHAT THEY ARE:


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  I'M "BIASED" ENOUGH TO THINK THAT A CHILD WHO THINKS WELL OF

HIMSELF WHEN HE'S A LITTLE BOY, ,,WHO IS TAUGHT TO DO NO HARM TO

ANOTHER PERSON, ,,AND WHO IS ALSO TAUGHT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS

OWN ACTIONS,,,WILL NOT GET AIDS WHEN HE GROWS UP,

  AND I HAPPEN TO BE "BIASED" ABOUT LITTLE GIRLS IN THE SAME WAY,

IF A LITTLE GIRL IS TAUGHT TO RESPECT HERSELF AS A MIRACLE OF

CREATION, AND TO RESPECT AND CHERISH HER ABILITY TO LOVE ANOTHER HUMAN

BEING AND, IN SO DOING, ENRICH THE HUMAN RACE WITH ANOTHER LIKE

HERSELF,, ,THEN I BELIEVE THAT LITTLE GIRL WILL GROW UP AND NOT BE

PREGNANT AT 15wWILL NOT CONTRACT SYPHILLIS AT 19,,, AND WILL NOT BE

DEAD OF AIDS AT 25,

AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT, ALSO,

THEN, WHERE IS THE ARGUMENT? IT COMES WHEN YOU TRY TO DECIDE AT

WHAT AGE TO TEACH THIS OR THAT TO A CHILD,


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  I PERSONALLY THINK YOU SHOULD START TEACHING IMPORTANT CONCEPTS

TO A CHILD AT THE EARLIEST DEVELOPMENTAL AGE AT WHICH SHE OR HE CAN

HANDLE THEM,

BUT THAT OPINION IS EXACTLY THAT: IT'S MY OPINION AND I'VE ALWAYS

ADVERTISED IT AS SUCH,

  SO LET ME STATE AGAIN WHAT I ALSO FIRMLY BELIEVE, I BELIEVE THAT
THE EDUCATIONAL QUESTIONS REGARDING WHAT? AND WHEN? AND TO WHOM? OUGHT
TO BE ANSWERED BY EACH FAMILY AND BY LOCAL SCHOOL PEOPLE, THAT'S HOW

WE DO THINGS IN THIS COUNTRY,

  IF A SET OF PARENTS IS TELLING THEIR CHILD ABOUT WHAT IS RIGHT

AND WRONG ABOUT SEXUALITY IN THEIR FAMILLY AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE

SCHOOL IS TELLING THEIR CHILD THE SAME THING, THAT IS REINFORCEMENT,

  IF THE SCHOOL, THEN, IS TEACHING SEXUALITY IN THE FAMILY CONTEXT
AND ENUCIATING KIND, CARING, CONSIDERATE, LOVING HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS,

THAT IS FURTHER REINFORCEMENT,


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  AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT IF WE ALL GET TOGETHER ON THIS AND STOP
BICKERING, WE CAN RAISE A GENERATION OF PREADOLESCENTS WHO WILL ENTER
THE ADOLESCENT PHASE, BEOME ABSTINENT UNTIL MONOGAMOUS, THAT'S THE
WAY IT USED TO BE AND I DON'T THINK IT'S TOO MUCH TO ASK AGAIN,

  LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I TOLD THE NATIONAL RELIGIOUS BROADCASTERS

AT THEIR ANNUAL MEETING IN WASHINGTON IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR,

  I TOLD THEM THAT ONE OF THE QUESTIONS TO BE FACED IS THAT OF
HOMOSEXUALITY, YOU CAN'T AVOID IT, IF YOU ARE GOING TO DISCUSS AIDS,

  IF YOU REGARD HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOR AS SIN, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT

ONE OF YOUR FUNDAMENTAL TEACHINGS HAS ALSO BEEN TO "SEPARATE THE SIN

FROM THE SINNER,"

YOU MAY HATE THE SIN,,,BUT YOU ARE TO LOVE THE SINNER,

  ANOTHER ISSUE THAT YOU MUST FACE IS THAT THERE WILL BE A GROWING
NUMBER OF PEOPLE INFECTED BY THE AIDS VIRUS AND DYING, NOT THROUGH ANY
DECISION THEY THEMSELVES MADE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED

IMPROPER,


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WHO ARE THEY? THEY ARE, 1, THE WIVES OF BISEXUAL MEN na

THEY ARE THE SPOUSES OF I,'/, DRUG ABUSERS,,,

THEY'RE THE WIVES AND HUSBANDS OF PROMISCUOUS SPOUSES,

AND I'M AFRAID WE MUST ALSO COUNT THE BABIES BORN TO WOMEN WHO

CARRY THE VIRUS,  IN ADDITION TO BEING BORN THIS WAY, THEY ARE

FREQUENTLY ABANDONED AND DIE ALONE IN HOSPITAL NURSERIES, THEY ARE

THE MOST INNOCENT VICTIMS OF ALL,

  BUT I'M NOT GOING TO LET PEOPLE OFF THE HOOK, IF THEY SAY, "LOOK

HERE, EDUCATION IS m BUSINESS",,,AND THEN THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING

ABOUT IT FOR WHATEVER REASON,

THAT'S TERRIBLE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW EDUCATION IS OUR ONLY WEAPON

AGAINST AIDS,

  WE HAVE NO PILLS, NO VACCINES, NO DRUGS, NO OTHER WEAPON OF ANY

KIND AGAINST AIDS,,,NOTHING EXCEPT THE WEAPON OF CHANGED BEHAVIOR, AND

THAT'S A JOB FOR EDUCATION,


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  IN THIS CASE, AS IN SO MANY OTHERS, EDUCATION CAN SAVE LIVES,
AND HERE AGAIN, AS IN THE CASE OF "BABY DOE" AND ORGAN TRANSPLANTS AND
SO ON, I MUST COME DOWN ON THE SIDE OF DOING WHATEVER I CAN TO SAVE

HUMAN LIFE,

  AND SO I'M ASKING EVERY AMERICAN, ,,AND I'M ASKING EACH ONE OF YOU
HERE THIS EVENING,,,TO JOIN ME IN THIS FUNDAMENTALLY MORAL CRUSADE

AGAINST A BRUTAL, HUMILIATING, AND FATAL DISEASE,

  YOU, AS CHRISTIANS, WILL CONTINUE TO BE TESTED BY TREMENDOUS

QUESTIONS THAT ARISE FROM THE TURMOIL OF CURRENT EVENTS, THESE
QUESTIONS MAKE YOU EXAMINE AND E-EXAMINE WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU

STAND FOR,

THIS IS NOT AN AGE FOR THE FAINT OF HEART,,,OR OF SOUL,

  ON THAT DAY, WHEN AIDS INTRUDES ON SOME ASPECT OF YOUR OWN LIFE,

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THE SICK AND THE DYING REQUIRE OUR CARE AND OUR

COMPASSION, NO MATTER HOW THE ILLNESS WAS CONTRACTED,

  THE WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC OF AIDS PRESENTS A CHALLENGE TO THE

CHRISTIAN CHURCH THAT MAY NEVER HAVE EXISTD BEFORE IN QUITE THE SAME

WAY, FIRST, THERE IS EVANGELISM,


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  AIDS PATIENTS, LIKE LEPROSY PATIENTS OF YESTERYEAR, ARE ABANDONED

BY FAMILIES, SHUNNED BY SOCIETY, AND ARE MANY TIMES THE VICTIMS OF

UNWARRANTED ABUSE, WHAT BETTER EVANGELISTIC TARGET THAN THE SICK, THE

DYING, THE HOMELESS, THE ABANDONED, AND THE DEPISED,

  THE EVANGELISTIC OPPORTUNITY DOESN'T EXIST ONLY IN YOUR BACKYARD

EITHER, THERE IS A NEW AND RIPE MISSION FIELD THROUGHOUT THE WORLD

AND PARTICULARLY IN DEVELOPING NATIONS AND MOST PARTICULARLY ON

CENTRAL AFRICA

  AT THE MENGO HOSPITAL IN KUMPALA, UGANDA, FOUNDED BY DAVID

LIVINGSTON IN THE BEGINNING OF THAT GREAT SURGE OF AFRICAN FOREIGN

MISSION, THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE WITHOUT NUMBER, THE DIAGNOSIS IS AIDS,

  AND FINALLY, WHAT BETTER OF A CHRISTIAN WITNESS IS THERE THAN THE

ACTS OF LOVE AND COMPASSION THAT COULD MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A

TERMINAL ILLNESS THAT IS TOLERABLE AND ONE THAT IS INTOLERABLE?


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NOW, YOU'VE BEEN A VERY GOOD AND PATIENT AUDIENCE AND NOW I WILL

CLOSE MY REMARKS WITH A LITTLE PERSONAL RECOLLECTION,

  A FEW YEARS AGO, FRANCIS SCHAEFFER AND I WERE TOURING THE

COUNTRY, SPEAKING OUT AGAINST ABORTION AND PRESENTING OUR FILM,

"WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE HUMAN RACE,"

  I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE WERE FREQUENTLY VERY DISCOURAGED BY THE

RESPONSE OF MANY EVANGELICAL% THEY DREW THEIR SKIRTS ABOUT THEM AND

SHUNNED THE ISSUE OF ABORTION,

  IN DUE TIME, HOWEVER, THEY CAME AROUND AND HAVE BECOME ACTIVISTS

IN THE PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT, BUT UNTIL THEY DID, MANY THOUSANDS OF LIVES

WERE NEEDLESSLY LOST,


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  MY PLEA TO YOU TODAY IS NOT TO REPEAT THAT SLICE OF HISTORY,  I

ASK THAT YOU, WHO BEST UNDERSTAND THE COMPASSION OF CHRIST, SHOW YOUR

LOVE AND CONCERN FOR THE VICTIMS OF THIS TERRIBLE DISEASE AND GIVE

YOUR SUPPORT -- NOW -- TO EFFORTS TO EDUCATE OUR PEOPLE ABOUT THIS

DISEASE, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUNG PEOPLE,

  EDUCATION,,,EDUCATION,,,EDUCATION, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, EDUCA-

TION IS OUR ONLY_ WEAPON AGAINST THIS DREADFUL DISEASE,
     WITH YOUR

HELP, IT CAN ALSO BE THE STRONGESI WEAPON WE HAVE,

THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT IN THE YEARS AHEAD,

AS IN THE YEARS PAST,, ,AND GOD BLESS EACH ONE OF YOU,

THANK YOU,

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