Pronouncements from on High

Nope, not Him (I’d be listening if it was).

No, this is from another person from on High – he’s back pontificating again.  Yup, that same guy that has given us the Oil For Food scandal ($20+ Billion for Sadaam instead of for Iraq’s poor), the sex scandals by the UN troops, the mishandling of numerous emergencies (they looked good during the Tsunami, didn’t they – the dirty little secret is that it was and is being handled by “other than UN” organizations), Procurement scandal, the Rwanda genocide, and the on-going Darfur mess he cannot seem to handle (nor the ganging up of the Arab world on Israel – see the “new and improved” Human Rights group).  Lots more if you want

Yup, Mr. Kofi Annan himself, Secretary – General of the UN. He decided to let us all know who is responsible now for the AIDS crisis and what has to be done with it. From yesterday’s USA Today (yeah, on the road again, so blogging will be a mite light):

In the 25 years since the first case was reported, AIDS has changed the world. It has killed 25 million people and infected 40 million more. It has become the world’s leading cause of death among both women and men ages 15 to 59. It has inflicted the single greatest reversal in the history of human development. In other words, it has become the greatest challenge of our generation.

Actually, there have been other events that have had far more effect on the world than AIDS. How about the Black Death (bubonic plague) that wiped out almost 1/3 of Europe back in the Middle Ages? How about the flu epidemic in the early 1900′s – proportionally more than AIDS now? WWII certainly seemed to be a seminal event too.

For far too long, the world was in denial. But over the past 10 years, attitudes have changed. The world has started to take the fight against AIDS as seriously as it deserves.

Financial resources are being committed as never before, people have access to anti-retroviral treatment as never before, and several countries are managing to fight the spread as never before. Now, as the number of infections continues unabated, we need to mobilize political will as never before.

As the number of infections continues unabated – gee, I wonder why? Now, don’t get me wrong, I have nothing but sympathy for those that get infected in innocent ways – blood transfusions, unknowingly infected by their partners, medical mistakes, et al. However, a politically incorrect statement that drew much PC oriented ire was the one of “cannot spread it if you abstain from sex”. Sorry, but I am old fashioned – I expect that adults should be able to control themselves and reign in stupid acts. After all, we aren’t animals, right (sigh – maybe popular culture is starting to prove that last bit wrong). Anyways….

Again, this is an epidemic because of sexual practices and / or sharing dirty needles (for the most part). I don’t care where in the world you are located or from – the statement “no sex – no infection” stands no matter how many howl at me. But Skip, you’re asking people not to love their spouse / partner / lover / sex worker / stranger? Er, yup!

That same year, as I made HIV/AIDS a priority in my work as secretary-general, I called for the creation of a "war chest" of an additional $7 billion to $10 billion a year. Today, I am deeply proud to be patron of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which has channeled almost $3 billion to programs across the globe. Recently, we have seen significant additional funding from bilateral donors, national treasuries, civil society and other sources. But much more is needed; by 2010, total needs for a comprehensive AIDS response will exceed $20 billion a year.

Here we go – all problems can be solved by money. Oh look – he needs more money! That’s the ticket – extract money from those who have it for those that don’t.

Because the response has started to gain real momentum, the stakes are higher now than ever. We cannot risk letting the advances that have been achieved unravel; we must not jeopardize the heroic efforts of so many. The challenge now is to deliver on all the promises that governments have made. Leaders must hold themselves accountable — and be held accountable by all of us.

Heroic? The only folks should be able to claim that mantle are those that care for those AIDS patients that are close to death. It is a thankless job in many places, yet they do it anyways. I’m am not sure that I would have the ability to do what they do, day in and day out.

But, sorry, something else is missing here. Really missing is the statement of who really is responsible for this – the people who spread AIDS to those around them. Not amount of coddling, no amount of PC type speech, no amount of “you right wing, Christian bigot / hater” is going to change that.

Personal responsibility should be the watchword, but true to most government type entities (and many look to the UN as being the foundation for a one world government), Annan believes that governments are the responsible party, and only they cal solve the problem.

Accountability — the theme of World AIDS Day on Friday — requires every president and prime minister, every parliamentarian and politician, to decide and declare that "AIDS stops with me."

No, no, no, no,no…it is NOT up to these folks to stop AIDS! Sure, they (and their governments) should be doing the right things by their people. But to expect government to solve the problem? An agent of change, of assistance? Yes. Solving the problem? No. Why? The accountability rests elsewhere.

It requires them to strengthen protection for all vulnerable groups — whether people living with HIV, young people, sex workers, injecting drug users, or men who have sex with men.

Finally, Annan points out those people who are responsible. But notice how it is couched – we must help them. It is not pointed out that these are the major agents of why the disease spreads (that and those that cheat on their significant others). Frankly, until they are ready to help themselves by changing their behaviors, no amount of help is going to work. Frankly, until society is willing to go after the behavior instead of trying to mask over the real underlying cause, we will be struggling “to solve” this problem for a great long time.

But accountability applies not only to those who hold positions of power. It also applies to all of us.

Sorry, I reject this premise. It is not up to all of us. This is no different than other scenarios where someone participates in risky behaviors that can lead to serious harm (financial, health, or death) and than expects to be saved from themselves when things go wrong. It is up that that particular person to want to help themselves. It is up to society to stop those individuals that knowingly spread AIDS.

It requires business leaders to work for HIV prevention in the workplace and in the wider community, and to care for affected workers and their families.

No, business leaders are responsible for leading business. As private individuals, sure they can help. Businesses are not social care-takers. Having said that, and having run a small business, yes, you do want to help your employees (and we did). But that is not why one goes into a for-profit business!

It requires health workers, community leaders and faith-based groups to listen and care, without passing judgment.

Ah yes, the “judge not less ye be judged”. And “let those that are without sin cast the first stone”. The problem is, what comes after those lines. In the latter, Jesus told the woman at the well, after telling her what her sin had been, “go, and sin no more”. Yes, he did call her out and he did judge her behavior.

If we cannot tell people that they are doing wrong, that their behavior hurts (or will kill) them and those around them, we need to have the fortitude to go against societal norms (such as they are nowadays) to tell people “this is right, and this is wrong”. After all, if there is no judgment, anything is permissible? And wouldn’t it be folly to believe that society should not go after root causes, that it is only permitted to clean up the messes that are allowed to occur?

It requires fathers, husbands, sons and brothers to support and affirm the rights of women.

Pure pap

It requires teachers to nurture the dreams and aspirations of girls.

More pablum

It requires men to help ensure that other men assume their responsibility — and understand that real manhood means protecting others from risk.

Hey, finally a word about those that are causing it – I think. This is so put in such a PC way, it really isn’t clear, is it? Not quite a great rallying cry, is it?

It requires every one of us to help bring AIDS out of the shadows, and spread the message that silence is death.

No, the message is, screw around and you may get screwed, big time. The message, more eloquently put, is when fidelity is ignored, there are serious consequences. When promiscuous behavior exists, there can be death. No amount of medical knowledge and application, no amount of sheer money, will solve what is basicly a people failing.

I will soon be stepping down as secretary-general of the United Nations.

Hallelujah!