So... a small digression..

I was reading up about AIDS discrimination (on a brief reprieve from my jam-packed day of watching Judge Judy on youtube), and yes, it's obvious that AIDS discrimination needs to be replaced with understanding, empathy and an "it's no big deal" attitude. But is it really possible to have a "socially friendly" infectious disease? If peeps weren't frightened of acquiring AIDS would they take the precautions (i.e. pulling out, praying, etc. if you believe some African governments) to not catch it?

No way, ho's say.

So we need the fear, to an extent . The real crux of the dilemma is can we somehow manipulate the public into guardedly respecting the disease without holding preconceived notions of those afflicted with it.

With that in mind, I have an idea. a RADICAL idea. A free thinking, shitting-against-the-wall-of-the-establishment kind of idea! Ok, it's not that amazing. But it might work. I propose we get rid of the term "AIDS"- give the lil' fella a new name. Something benign. Something that sounds like a medical condition, but friendlier. A bit like "Dropsy", which sounds like a condition you'd want to have, because it sounds so damn cute. That way, you see, the old AIDS baggage will be left behind and we'll have a new identity and a new framework upon which to hang brand-spanking new stigmas and prejudices (people will be people, after all. Let's not have unrealistic expectations) determined by our current knowledge and social climate.

It's worked before, such as the slide from negro to African American; it worked with pansy/sissy/poof/fag morphing into "gay" and those mad loons- but cocktail party favourite's- the manic depressives, who are now mingling with the common folk under the guise of Bi-Polarity. Imagine AIDS to be like a shabby old clothes line hung between two dead tree stumps, with our prejudices sloppily hung along it as if they were hung there by a bitter, sherry sedated housewife; while our newly named disease is like a shiny new hills hoist, or something like that, or maybe it's probably best to stop imagining that because it's a rubbish analogy and, to be honest, rather unhelpful.

So. to recap, I say we rename the stubborn little shit, thus redefining what it is, it's actual threat and what it means to be afflicted with it.

No more "AIDS", the dirty gay/african/drug user disease, insidious scourge of the morally lax...



..and hello "Bubbles".



..or something like that. I'm not very good with names.


Now, with all that said (brilliant idea had today? TICK!) it's back to Judge Judy...