This is the image that is flying around Facebook today on the heels of the big news that, over the weekend, Osama bin Laden was killed.

Not sure who mocked this up, and I’m too lazy to search and give proper credit.  But I liked it.  It’s rare that a Democrat can look like a badass.

Assassinating terrorists is pretty funny, especially the opportunity to revel in the gloat factor. On Twitter, I posted: “Osama bin Laden died of a broken heart- he’d been pining away for Kate Middleton for years.”  Today I woke up and realized it was The Rock’s birthday and, being a Rock fan, my imagination ran wilder than a Hulkamaniac on speed: “There’s a rumor that @BarackObama granted The Rock’s b-day wish & let him hit Osama w/ The People’s Elbow before Seals finished the job.”

For non-wrestling fans, here is the Rock entertaining his millions of fans with his patented “People’s Elbow”, landing it on the immortal Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania.

It’s a crowd-pleasing move. Not unlike killing Osama bin Laden.  The guy was an evil, smirking prick who justified the killing of innocent people with the killing of innocent people which lead to the killing of innocent people.  But in our own victory dance we can’t lose sight of Osama’s intended goals in all of this- to bankrupt and defeat the United States.  He may not have defeated an entire country, but September 11, 2001 set of a series of events that changed the world.  It ignited a bloodlust that led to two wars, the latter of which (Iraq) having the flimsiest of correlation to the domestic terrorist attack that none of us will soon forget.

Humor me by reading another pro wrestling analogy.  There was a wrestler named “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan who carried the American flag to the ring and chanted, “USA! USA! USA!”  I wasn’t a big fan, not because of his patriotism but because he was a “good” guy and lost often.  The bad guys always seemed smarter to me. One of the reasons Hacksaw lost so often was because he was so easily duped into making avoidable mistakes.

I don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer here. I’m glad the Osama is dead, too.
But there’s probably an endless line of jabronis waiting to take Osama
bin Laden’s place.  Let’s just hope the next time we don’t play so
willingly into our antagonist’s hands.  As a country, let’s not be the Hacksaws of the world.  We can be the good guys without being the imbeciles, too.

Positively Yours,
Shawn

Last week in the world of politics, it was all about the threat to shutdown the government, a potentially lethal job-killing move by Republicans to get sugar-coating on some of the behind-the-scenes dealmaking that commoners like us aren’t privy to.  What is known is that funding of Planned Parenthood was a major sticking point for Republicans.

Last week Senator John Kyl made an outrageous claim that 90% of Planned Parenthood’s funds go towards providing abortions.  This false claim drew the attention of a lot of folks, including Stephen Colbert, who broke character when trying to make sense of the remarks of Kyl.  Thankfully, the threat to shut down the government was just a bunch of posturing, too.  I can not understand, though, how opponents of abortion can be opponents of Planned Parenthood, an organization that provides information on sexual health and contraceptives to young women all across the country… thus preventing abortions.

Positively Yours,
Shawn

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One of the reasons why I’ll probably never be able to cast a vote for a Republican is because of their views on sex, whether it’s institutionalized homophobia (in which they obsessively cannot get the sexual imagery of homosexual acts out of their minds- hmmmm) or their opposition to open dialogue about safer sex.

Here, the Daily Show explains the most recent attacks on Planned Parenthood by House Republicans, who should just stay out of the way and let PP talk to their teenagers about sex since they refuse to do so.

I love this guy. Here, Rep. Weiner asks House Republicans to give up their cushy health insurance plans if they are so against people being able to get decent coverage. Sure, he’s a blowhard, but that’s what makes him shine. And I think the Democrats need more people who stand up for their convictions.

Thank you, Mr. Weiner!

Positively Yours,
Shawn

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Website: ShawnandGwenn.com
Also check out the lovely Gwenn’s Fashion/Coffee Blog
My CD, Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, is on iTunes!

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Check out Regan Hofmann’s article on the Huffington Post, “The Alarming State of AIDS in America”. In it she writes:

“The critical questions are: Who can, will and is responsible for funding the survival of low-income Americans with HIV? The federal government (by tapping HHS stimulus dollars)? State governments? Pharmaceutical companies (by dropping drug prices or offering higher rebates)? All of the above? While the various groups duke it out, people with HIV are at risk for getting sick and dying.”

The recent push for budget cuts is a real threat to people with HIV who desperately needs services provided by federal funding, including AIDS Drug Assistance Programs, which I will continue to blog about.  It’s all very heavy and disconcerting stuff, but we must all be aware of it- if you are reading this blog you care about the issue on some level, and now’s the time to get involved.  Your congressman and women, whether they are (D) or (R), need to hear your voice.

As a way of saying thank you for raising your voice on the critical issue of ADAP funding, I give you the starting line-up for this year’s Puppy Bowl VII!  By the way, I lose like $50 on this game every year; the rules are never really defined, it’s chaos but I only have myself to blame I guess.

Positively Yours,
Shawn

Watch, Friend and Follow me on:
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Website: ShawnandGwenn.com
Also check out the lovely Gwenn’s Fashion/Coffee Blog
My CD, Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, is on iTunes!

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Media Matter has posted a recent bout of verbal diarrhea suffered by Rush Limbaugh, a chronic sufferer of TOAS (Talking Out of Ass Syndrome).  Last week, Limbaugh stuck up for Ronald Reagan’s blind-eye approach to the emerging AIDS epidemic in the 1980′s…

On Democrats regarding HIV and then-president Reagan, he said:
“These people blamed AIDS on Reagan. Sound familiar? They blamed homelessness on Reagan — you know why they blamed AIDS on Reagan? Because he didn’t care. Because he never delivered a speech about it. And because of that, AIDS was spread. They actually wanted us to believe that Reagan had the disease, was sneaking into gay people’s houses at night, and impregnating them with the disease and running out. And when he left their houses he went over to Grant Park, or wherever it was, Lafayette Park and stole the pork and beans of the homeless and took them back to the White House and fixed them up and ate them. That’s the kind of stuff they were saying about Reagan.”

Pretty disgusting words in defense of Saint Reagan.

In 1990, two years after his presidency was over, Reagan apologized for his mishandling of the crisis.  To read some excerpts from Michael Bronski’s book, The Truth About Reagan and AIDS, and to hear an audio clip of how Reagan viewed HIV as a morality test, click here.

Now, who stole my pork and beans?

Positively Yours,
Shawn

Watch, Friend and Follow me on:
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Website: ShawnandGwenn.com
Also check out the lovely Gwenn’s Fashion/Coffee Blog
My CD, Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, is on iTunes!

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These fake cure stories are really starting to piss me off, and this one is particularly egregious.  It’s the President of The Gambia, Jammeh, who has been affectionately dubbed “The Kanilai Monster” for his less-than-warm and fuzzy approach to rule.

This article in Freedom News explains how the ruler’s fake care is affecting the region’s health care:

“As we stand today, the MRC has closed its HIV/AIDS clinic because of fear of offending the monster. People with the disease are now left with the option of either seeking Jammeh’s fake cure or going to one of the under-equipped government clinics. Medical practitioners on the other hand are scared to say that there is no cure for HIV/AIDS.  The results has been that there has been very high rates of HIV prevalence in the Fonis…”

Read the entire article here, and how Jammeh is upset about how he is being labeled here.

Positively Yours,
Shawn

Watch, Friend and Follow me on:
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Website: ShawnandGwenn.com
Also check out the lovely Gwenn’s Fashion/Coffee Blog
My CD, Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, is on iTunes!

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Florida’s AIDS Drugs Assistance Program is facing a $14 million budget gap- more like canyon- and HIV/AIDS activists, lawmakers and drug companies are trying to find a solution that tides over state residents until the new fiscal year begins on April 1. To read the entire story, click here.

AIDSmeds.com has compiled a list of drug companies that are offering help to those who are having trouble making ends meet.  Drug companies come under a lot of fire, but I’m glad to see that they are recognizing the severity of waiting lists and the health insurance game of Twister that many of us with HIV play.

Positively Yours,
Shawn

Watch, Friend and Follow me on:
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Website: ShawnandGwenn.com
Also check out the lovely Gwenn’s Fashion/Coffee Blog
My CD, Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, is on iTunes!

SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.

They say anything is possible in this country, and it just happened.  A sexual act once thought impossible was performed on Tuesday when America successfully teabagged itself.

Earlier this week, Editor-in-Chief of Poz Magazine, Regan Hofmann, blogged about why the AIDS community should vote and care about Tuesday’s election.  It’s worth the read, especially if it’s bittersweet after the election’s results.  By the way, when you’re done with it, could you pass the mouthwash please?

Thanks.

Positively Yours,
Shawn

Watch, Friend and Follow me on:YouTube, Facebook and Twitter
Website: ShawnandGwenn.com Also check out the lovely Gwenn’s Fashion/Coffee Blog

SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.

On Tuesday, vote for the candidate most likely to give a shit about you.

Positively Yours,
Shawn

Watch, Friend and Follow me on:YouTube, Facebook and Twitter
Website: ShawnandGwenn.com Also check out the lovely Gwenn’s Fashion/Coffee Blog

SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.