Letters

letters

San Diego needs to talk about HIV not remember AIDS

Dear Editor,

While I applaud the people behind the San Diego AIDS Memorial for taking the leadership in such a meaningful endeavor, I do have to question the timing of it. Memorials are something that we build like the World War II Memorial or the Vietnam Wall when wars are over, not in the middle of them.

When in the past 10 years men who have sex with men have seen the largest and only increase of HIV infection of any statistical group tracked by the CDC and the current rate of infection for millennial gay men is increasing to a rate that by the time they are in their 50s one in two will be HIV positive, only 25 percent of those infected on treatment and many local and national LGBT and HIV groups are trying to re-engage the community in the HIV discussion after 15 years of ignoring, is having a “mission accomplished” moment sending the right message?

Can a 60 plus-year-old Republican lesbian, a 70+ drag queen and their La Jolla moneyed friends actually connect the death of someone over 30 years ago as a relevant issue to the life of a 22-year-old on the Rich’s dancefloor or will it be more like a middle school field trip to the national mall that is forgotten on the way home?

We have in our reach a way to be the generation to end HIV, through testing, treatment and PrEP, but we’re lacking in the discussion, policies and money to do it. Would a better memorial and investment of money and time be devoted to actually pushing us over the hump and ending HIV? Possibly by using the Imperial Court, San Diego Pride, the mayor’s wife and their connections to fund innovative policies and programs to re-engage the community in the HIV discussion instead of a park people will forget about six months after it’s built?

ERIC HUFFORD aka SISTER IONA

San Diego