As I lay on the floor, brandy bottle at hand, staring at the ceiling and my mind whirring with roundabouts, 'A' roads, and people driving six inches behind your backside, I thought of Annie Lennox. This woman, who made her name with a pop group in the eighties, had been spouting on about AIDS and how bad it all was on Breakfast TV, the BBC I think, difficult to tell as they are all the same! She decried how awful it was, how something needed to be done, how we tended not to mention it, and she got right up my nose!
Yet another 'celebrity' telling us how she has 'raised' a million pounds towards AIDS charities, and demanding something is done! Can I ask how much of her millions were put into such charities? I suspect those who inform us of the horrors around us may appear to care, but it seems to me, care more for the pound in their pocket than the ones needing the cash! We are all well aware of the problems caused by AIDS, we all know of charities, at home and abroad, which deal with this. However do these 'celebrities' really care for the suffering I ask? or do they actually care for themselves through the people? The number of pop singers, film stars, and TV personalities seen in recent years seeking help for AIDS sufferers, gives an indication of concern, but concern for what? You see I do not believe such folk are concerned for the other, there is no 'Love your neighbour' here, but they are concerned for themselves! Rarely do such people show concern for kidney patients, or those with liver disease. heart problems do not concern them much, neither does Multiple Sclerosis or a wide variety of other diseases. No what really concerns such folk is the danger that their loose sex lives may lead to contracting AIDS! As long as they indulge such liberal attitudes several diseases are open to them, and this one kills!
Nothing funny in this, nothing funny in the disease or the attitudes shown. Let me show you an example. Robert Mapplethorpe was a photographer known only to the 'chattering classes' until his death from AIDS in 1989. From that day on he was a hero! His books, full of naked men, he was homosexual, sold to the trendies (only they could afford the price!) and from being almost unknown he became nationally renown in bookshops, newspapers and magazine articles. All because as a homosexual he died from AIDS. However, did anyone 'love' him? If they met him would they have liked him? Who can tell? How many others have become famous from dying of this illness? Without dying, would anyone have really cared? Princess Di, that royal hanger on, made a lot of fuss of AIDS patients. Can you remember one name from all those she was photographed with? You remember her publicity however, don't you?
On Saturday, while the Heart of Midlothian were destroying the vile beasts of Rangers Football Club players wore armbands concerning World AIDS Day. One Hearts player, David Obua, is a Ugandan. I wonder what stories he could tell concerning the damage done to his nation by AIDS. I remember a Cliff Richard film, from around fifteen years ago, showing a school run by Christians which contained around 150 children all of whom had become orphans because of AIDS. The church had to support them as no-one else could. A dying woman was shown, this was the grandmother, the sole survivor of her house, attempting to care for the grandchildren while dying herself! The parents had already died.
What is the cause and what is the cure? Is the cause a virus that spread from monkeys? In truth I neither know nor care, but I have an idea of the answer, it's marriage, and marriage as God intended! One man, one woman committed for life! That is not the easiest answer, but the alternative, while attractive to most of us, leads to many complications, and as we see, many diseases. A true marriage commitment is hard indeed, but so is moving from one to another, taking advantage whenever it is offered, and in general enjoying a hedonistic life. It is attractive, at least to me, but loose sexual behaviour destroys in many ways. AIDS is the most serious as it kills, silently and with no chance of survival. Had Africa followed this behaviour there would be no epidemic, no deaths, and happier people.
That said, after thirty or more years in which Africa has been the superpowers plaything, while leaders kept all the available cash to themselves and we in the west enjoyed our wealthy lifestyle it can be no surprise that any belief in a moral life would be regarded somewhat cynically in far too many places. Who can blame those with little to live for when they enjoy any pleasure, whatever the risk, I can't? While medical research strives for an antidote, it would be a pleasure indeed to see pop stars encouraging a healthier lifestyle, and then donating their money to those who search for cures or bring what aid they can. However, I suspect they may be too drunk or to busy finding a new 'partner' for their next publicity stunt!
