Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia
Date:         Wed, 30 Sep 1992 00:04:08 EDT
From:         MKLINE%VDH.BITNET@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU
Subject:      Magic Johnson, AIDS Research.

Subject:  Magic Johnson, AIDS Research.

Several people had asked about what should be done about AIDS research.
It was asked if I thought it should be eliminated, which would obviously
be "NO, it shouldn't.", but then today, this came out, talking about
the very same thing...

   "We did it about 10 months ago and that was when Magic first announced
he acquired the virus that causes AIDS. He had to quit the Lakers and so
forth. And I remember a bunch of pressure back then, and the people said,
"President Bush, You've got to put this man on the AIDS Commission. Why
here is one of the first legitimate heros in America who gets this
disease. It proves that anybody can get this disease and you've got to
put him on the AIDS Commission." So, the president caved in to the
pressure, put Magic Johnson on the AIDS Commission, and he sits there for
a while and then over this past weekend announced that he was going to
resign the AIDS Commission because the recommendations that the AIDS
Commission had made to the President had not been enacted.

    After he did that, Magic then and made a speech somewhere in
Washington Saturday night, I think it was the Congressional Black Caucus,
and he said that not only was he resigning the AIDS Commission, but
President Bush had been so horrible in doing anything about AIDS that the
only way anything on this disease positive is going to happen is if
everybody votes for Clinton. So now Magic Johnson has endorsed Clinton.

    Let me say a couple of things here. First off, Magic, you're no hero.
You got this virus by virtue of your behavior. Bill Clinton could have
been president from 1910 and you still would have gotten this disease
because it was what YOU did that put you at risk.

    Now AIDS is a VIRUS. Let me hit you between the eyes with something,
folks. How many viruses, in this country, in the history of civilization,
on this planet, have we ever cured? Nada. Not one. Common cold's a virus,
can't do anything about it. Flu's a virus. You can get some flu shots,
maybe reduce the number of times you get it, once you get it, we can't
cure it. There's a vaccine for Polio, I think, but these are viruses, and
there are no cures.

    We have increased AIDS spending, since 1989, since George Bush took
office, 70%. We're doing more for AIDS, we're spending more for AIDS and
on the people who have AIDS then we are spending on the people who have
ANY OTHER DISEASE. And despite what you hear, there are far fewer people
who have AIDS than who have cancer, suffering heart disease, or anything
else.

    So you're not getting the right message from Magic Johnson. If Magic
Johnson really cared, if Magic Johnson was really interested to solve
this crisis, he would not resign the AIDS Commission, he'd try to reform
it. He'd try to silence the people making politics out of it and turn it
into what it should be, a tribunal on advising people about safe
behavior.

    The only evidence, the only help you have, is to alter your behavior.
And it's clear the kind of behavior you need to avoid. You need to avoid
promiscuous sex of any kind, and IV drug use. And it doesn't matter who's
in the White House, it's up to you. And it's time Magic Johnson assumed
some responsibility for what he did and told others that that's the only
way they can avoid contracting this or any other behaviorally spread
virus.

    So you're still being used(Magic). Find out who's doing it and shed
them. They're not doing you any favors. Your hero status is balance
precariously, I think.

                                                      Rush Limbaugh
                                                      09/28/92


Maks.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU