Pilot Wrongly Took a Partisan Swipe

As of Tuesday, April 5, 2011

I read the editorial on Liz Taylor that appeared in Wednesday’s Pilot. I have to say I was very distressed by what was, in my opinion, the totally partisan, gratuitous and erroneous phrase “Despite her Republican leanings, Taylor is remembered for her audacious support of such liberal causes as HIV/AIDS patients” that was used in the piece.

I would argue that Republicans are at least as concerned about the health of individuals as are Democrats; i.e., an individual’s health is not a partisan issue, and there is no evidence that HIV/AIDS is solely “a liberal cause.”

Have you ever heard of PEPFAR? The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief was initiated by President George W. Bush — a Republican. To quote from Wikipedia, this plan “was a commitment of $15 billion over five years (2003–2008) from U.S. President George W. Bush to fight the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. PEPFAR increased the number of Africans receiving ART (antiretroviral therapy) from 50,000 at the start of the initiative in 2004 to at least 1.2 million in early 2008. PEPFAR has been called the largest health initiative ever initiated by one country to address a disease.”

My daughter is currently in Africa, on her fourth trip in the past two years as part of a PEPFAR- (and Gates Foundation-) funded HIV/AIDS program that is having a major impact on the disease in Kenya and Uganda.

If you want to write a partisan editorial on any topic you have the right to do so, but I suggest if you are going to take partisan swipes that you make an effort to check your facts first.

Jim Leslie

Pinehurst

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geoffcutler 2 years, 1 month ago

Chapter 11, Lazarus Effect, in W's book, "Decision Points," is devoted to what Mr. Leslie refers to in his letter, and I remember thinking when I read it, who knew? Shouldn't this have been a pretty big story? I wondered how it would have been covered had Obama spearheaded PEPFAR?

A Republican led the way to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa? Never!

Ross 2 years, 1 month ago

And if it were a republican who had put a focus on "global warming" - they would be all for stopping it instead of having their heads in the sand.

It works BOTH ways so stop whining like a 3 year old.

Ross 2 years, 1 month ago

Jimmie - I luvs ya - but you are a typical "head in the sand" republican - one who ignores the obvious.

But hey - you keep denying what 95% of scientists believe is happening. After all - isn't that what you republicans do - define "cluelessness"

Ross 2 years, 1 month ago

No jimmie - not the same scientists. Back then - it was speculation with growing proof. Now - it is essentially unanimous and the focus is on what to do to stop it.

But hey - you do your republican thing - the one where you deny everything and sit on your hands - complaining, denying, and whining.

Darkwing 2 years, 1 month ago

Actually, the "unaninmous" thing comes from deliberately misquoting contributors to the report, making it seem like they agreed with the whole thing, rather than the portions they did agree with. Then there's the bad science tricks of Michael Mann and his falsified hockey stick, his assumption of expected numbers to fill in where his measuring stations failed, and the claims that computer models "prove" the whole shebang. Add in the continual mocking and browbeating of skeptics, rather than debating points, and the call to shoot global warming skeptics as traitors (all of the above reported in the media - see the AP), throw in Climategate, and then try to tell me I should buy their medicine man show's elixir.

Ross 2 years, 1 month ago

To be quite honest - I have read many articles trying to keep an open mind. What is happening now is taking place over a very short period of time. What you are doing is simply salving your fears by referring to one author who you insinuate "cooked" facts (it was later proven he hadn't - just been overly stupid with his comments).

I wish I felt like you - that it is simply fantasy - but from perusing many articles from many sources - I am convinced we are doing this.

So - I am thinking it is you that is drinking elixir - unfortunate because with people like you - it will be even harder to fix this problem!

Darkwing 2 years, 1 month ago

I am not afraid; I just don't believe the sky is falling. Too many people are trying to hard to push the idea. That alone makes me reach for the grain of salt. I have seen very clever representations that the facts were'nt cooked, but not proof. If you have a line of thermometers, and a nice linear curve going, then several of them not reading anything, it's tempting to continue the curve and just fill in the blanks, but it's not good science. Yet Mann didn't even blink when he did so and asserted that study was n ot only valid, but evidence. Changing the curve to represent a different source of data without showing that on the graph is also farudulent. It misrepresents the facts. Now, had he said that after 1960, the results were anomalous, and didn't track, yet other sources showed the trend, so that data source was excluded after that point, I could see some value in the study. But as soon as he swapped sources while continuing the line, he intentionally committed fraud. If you have to lie to convince me, you don't have a case. I don't care how many lawyer-miknded folks use rhetorical and elocutionary tricks to make it sound okay, it's not. When their records indicate hotter years while I experience colder years, I wonder at their methodology - and Quartermasters do the weather-guesser's job at sea. I'm not just going on my own recollections of being cold or hot. But go ahead, Ross, and drink the kool-aid. Your choice. As Lifeson, Lee, and Peart put it: You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill. I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose free will.

Ross 2 years, 1 month ago

Darkwing - My honest opinion - people like you are the ones that make needful change almost impossible. Your type cites one or two sources to make their case and justify an opinion. You should do some serious reading - but you won't - you are more than happy to bury your head..... once again as that is convenient and fits your belief.

Now - go ahead and drink something - perhaps a little stronger than kool aid - it will relax you and deaden whats left of your brain :)

Darkwing 2 years, 1 month ago

Coffee for me, thanks. Ross, I read a lot, likely more than you. When the author has an axe to grind, and tries to distort the evidence to fit his message, I know it's probably not a worthwhile message. Try to read THROUGH the bias in these things to figure what's really going on. Having an open mind does not have to equate to gullibility. Show me untampered evidence if you want me to buy a theory.

teufelhunden 2 years, 1 month ago

Thanks for writing this letter Mr. Leslie. Kudos to your daughter for her work!

positiveguy 2 years, 1 month ago

HIV is not actually a death sentence. It is a disease that can be managed and be controlled by the individual who acquired it allowing him to live a long normal and productive life like anyone else. POZmingle. com is the largest dating and support site for HIV singles claim that they have 200,000 HIV members, Most of them are here to find understanding, support and love. It is really a good thing that encourage each other, Leading a healthy life.

SuzColeman 2 years, 1 month ago

While Bush is to be commended for heading up the HIV/AIDs African initiative, it doesn't take much courage to get out in front of an advancing parade. 20 years earlier the Reagan administration ignored the epidemic and cast it as a "gay" disease. As a result, valuable time and lives were lost because critical national resources that could have been deployed to staunch it, were not. Elizabeth Taylor was one of the few to raise much-needed awareness and funds to address this health crisis. She believed AIDS was an equal opportunity killer and not a "liberal" or "conservative," "democratic" or "republican" disease.

JimHeim 2 years, 1 month ago

I guess everyone's forgotten the incident when Reagan and his wife visited Walter Reed Army Medical Center after the White House called ahead to make sure that there would be no AIDs patients in the wards to be visited. Compassionate conservatism in action.