Scheer, Ramirez on ‘Responsible Behavior’

The commentary, “A ‘Miracle’ Wrought by Irresponsible Medical Acts,” by Robert Scheer, together with the Michael Ramirez cartoon, “The cure for AIDS” (Dec. 2), are the most common-sense ap- proaches I have seen to these very vexing problems.

At a time when the world is suffering a population explosion that cannot be adequately fed, clothed or sheltered, how can any sane person want to unnaturally produce seven offspring and refer to it as “God’s will”? Then rake in the harvest of TV, book and magazine promotions, together with all the consumer giveaways that this unhappy event appears to have generated. This can only be commercial exploitation at its very worst. The medical profession has a serious ethics problem in creating these conditions and then referring to them as miracles.

The cartoon, suggesting a daily dose of “responsible behavior,” hit the nail right on the head. At a time when little media focus is given to funding research for such unpreventable and incurable diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes, why do we give such fund-raising attention to finding a cure for AIDS? This is the one fatal disease that can be 85% cured tomorrow, if those who are most at risk will just stop doing what they are doing, e.g., unsafe sex, multiple sex partners, drug and needle abuse. The tragedy is that the real victims are the children with AIDS. They had no choice in contracting this debilitating disease.

PETER MUNSON

Pacific Palisades

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It amazes me how people so quickly judge the AIDS crisis, all too often without realizing the pain they inflict. There are a plethora of HIV-positive and AIDS survivors in this world for whom a daily dose of “responsible behavior” will not bring about “the cure for AIDS.” While I would agree that promoting responsible behavior in relation to education about AIDS will undoubtedly help in reducing the spread of this horrendous disease, I feel Ramirez has shown his contempt for those living with this disease.

What those living with HIV and AIDS need is our compassion, our fighting spirit, our helping hand, our undying will, in finding a cure, a cure for all.

ROBERT HUWEILER

Tustin

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Re Scheer’s commentary: And if God had meant us to fly, we’d have had wings. Scheer reminds me of the people in the last century who were opposed to anesthesia for pregnant women because it interfered with the divine plan that women should suffer during childbirth for the sin of Eve. Geez.

ROBERT A. FRUGE

Toluca Lake