People with HIV/AIDS will travel...or not

Apparently, many countries will deny you a visa if you are HIV+ or have AIDS - including the US. What is the rationale for this? That this will prevent people from entering a country and infecting all the innocent people there? Or is it really about securing resources for wealthier countries? I'm sure that it is a bit of the latter, but also fear of the former. It's interesting that, as the article points out, conferences about the global AIDS crisis cannot be attended by people with HIV/AIDS.

Apparently the US does grant waivers for people with HIV. However,

If your name is entered and flagged in CLASS and/or TECS as being HIV positive you may be barred from future entries into the United States - and - You may apply for an HIV waiver for another future visit/event. However, obtaining the waiver may be difficult.

And, of course the individuals who get the waiver will have better access to resources and knowledge of this. Which means that this particular policy prevents people of lower socioeconomic status from entering the country. And these are most likely the ones who have the greatest need for medications and could contribute greatly to conferences on the global AIDS crisis.

Standing on the Shoulders of...

After a hiatus, I am back paying respects to those who have given of themselves freely to help others. This week I am standing on the shoulders of Maung Thura, a comedian in Burma, who has resisted the SPDC in order to provide humantarian aide to victims of the cyclone. In doing so, he has been detained indefinitely. Maung Thura has a history of helping the Burmese in need, regardless of the penalties from the military-minded government. How many of us would be willing to do the same?

Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict -- alternatives to passive or aggressive responses, alternatives to violence.
Dorothy Thompson

Quote

Have good trust in yourself – not in the One you think you should be, but in the One that you are.
-Maezumi Roshi

Human rights violations in the US taken to international bodies

What do you do when the local police don't enforce a personal protection order? If your children are killed by your estranged husband, then you can take it to the supreme court. When the supreme court rules that the constitution provides no requirement for enforcement of the PPO, then what? In a landmark case, Jessica Lenahan, along with the ACLU and Columbia School of Human Rights, has petitioned the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).
The news wire mentions briefly the American Declaration of Rights and Duties of Man, adopted in 1948, stating that the basis of the Lenahan's petition to IACHR is the failure of the US to comply with the human rights doctrine. This case symbolizes a new era in human rights, in which international bodies hold the U.S. accountable for injustices. If the IACHR does hold the US responsible for violations to this doctrine, then it could symbolize a new direction in international human rights trials. No wonder the US still has not ratified the UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Violence Against Women (CEDAW).
It will be very interesting to see how this plays out.

Mental Health Parity

Mental Health Parity
Apparently the hesitation to providing more coverage for mental health services is due to the lack of scientific evidence to such disorders as depression or agoraphobia. Still, anyone who has known someone who has suffered or has themselves suffered from mental illness, can attest to the real pain and suffering they cause. (Also, as the article states, studies are beginning to show biological signs of mental illness).
Another argument is that mental illness and addiction are "choices". While yes, depression and addiction stem from choices one makes in their lives, the mindset is often influenced by deeper emotions from the past. Without dealing with these emotional triggers, say through therapy, you're not going to change the mindset. At least not enough to make a lasting change. Pills may allow an individual some relief from the illness, but is much more effective when combined with some form of therapy. Covering up deep roots of problems with pills will only distract from the cause. Even the drug companies agree that therapy combined with drugs is more effective.
If nothing else, one would think that the incentive for insurance companies to provide equal coverage for mental health would be overall greater health. It's logical that providing effective treatment for mental illness would benefit an individual's overall health.

Proposed legislation in Syria

SYRIA: New draft law targets sex traffickers

We want to have the best legislation in the world to counter the issue of trafficking...Most importantly, for the first time the trafficked person will be considered a victim and not punished. We will go after the perpetrators and the causes of trafficking.

Why is this revolutionary?

Quote

Internal and external are ultimately one. When you no longer perceive the world as hostile, there is no more fear, and when there is no more fear, you think, speak and act differently. Love and compassion arise, and they affect the world.
-Eckhart Tolle