I don't even know if anyone is gonna see this. It's been so long since I've last posted that I had to look up my information (of which, my old email is null and void now . . . long, dramatic, and not that worthy of a story) and finally got everything changed.
So, what made me post today?? Well, did you know it was "World AIDS Day?" I know, right! What are you supposed to do on that day . . . I mean, do you run out and have protected sex or something . . . Sarcasm aside (which is quite difficult for me) I attended an interesting service this evening with some of my friends. We went to one of the local Methodist churces where there were leaders of many of the faiths (Methodist, Lutherian, First Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, MCCC) and several guest speakers.
The ceremony itself was quite odd. It started with a prayer, and then the Director of the Topeka AIDS Project (or TAP) got up and started rambling . . . alot. She kept apologizing for saying stuff wrong, and was really just a mess. Then a couple from Kenya got up and spoke about a clinic they are putting together for their country when they graduate with their nursing degrees in a few months. It was quite impressive. The woman (can't find the program to say her name) shared the most interesting thing I've heard that really helped me understand the issue in Africa. Women are inherited, since they are treated as property. In poor Kenya, they don't know what AIDS is (STILL!). So when a husband dies of AIDS, his wife is given to his brother. She is infected, and will infect the brother . . . and so on and so on it goes. They spoke about the cultural shift that needed to take place. Made ya think a bit . . .
Then, a train wreck from Brazil got up and spoke . . . I have no idea what she was talking about but kept saying she was happy Brazil is open minded and she loves Carnival. It was odd to say the least. The only thing I remember about the lady from Brazil was that she sells Mary Kay Cosmetics, and I wasn't really all that impressed by that.
Some local woman got up and bored us with facts and percentages about AIDS in America today, which are important but they are indeed, facts and numbers. Basically, it had already cemented the fact that I will ALWAYS use protection . . . done there. Then a woman got up and shared a deeply personal but albeit awkward story about how she has AIDS. It was odd, but her point was that she felt discrimination for the first time because of her diagnosis, and that all people, even AIDS patients, need respect and love. I applaud the bravery and point, but it was just odd. (Now is a good time to maybe drop that one of my friends is positive and asked me to go with him and his partner. So I did b/c I wanted to show my support.)
Then, the train wreck starts. During the offering a Senior Dharma Teacher gets up and chants and meditates for us. Now, I'm open to different faiths and all, but I didn't know what was happening or what she was saying. That was a bit bizarre. They then read the names of those that had died from AIDS this year . . . supposedly. I say supposedly b/c names such as Easy E, Rock Hudson, Liberache, and The Girl Who Left Early were read. I'm not kidding. When I heard Matthew Sheppard, I just got pissed. I can not believe some idiot put together a list of names like this to be read at an event like this. To add insult to injury, the readers ended up reading all the names TWICE. Oh well . . . Topeka is a small town. I am impressed they held an event like this here since it's not the most open of communities. (Topeka is home to Westboro Baptist Church, and if you don't know it just google it.) No protests or anything . . .
So, my long beleagured point is this . . . if you know, or have known someone infected or affected by AIDS, give 'em a hug. Show them you care and understand. Because even though my town stumbled through a truly bizarre ceremony (I left out the Lesbian drum circle . . . and believe me, there is a TON of material there!!!), they showed their support and let people know they care. I'm even thinking about volunteering there one day a week to help out . . .
I PROMISE I won't wait 7 months for my next post!!!! I promise!!!
Oh, Joe Joe...I've missed you!
ReplyDeleteWow, that service was a disaster, huh? (Matthew Sheppard, really?) It's the thought that counts, I suppose...& we did learn something. For example, I didn't realize that a woman was given to her late husband's brother...that's one helluva chain reaction.