by Jessica Carreras
Several Obama supporters and politicians held a press conference held last Thursday afternoon to speak about Sen. Obama's stance on HIV/AIDS and his plans to fight the epidemic if elected.
The call included Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), former Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy Sandra Thurman and HIV-positive Chair of the Black AIDS Institute Jesse Milan. The conference was also joined by Obama for America Domestic Policy Director Neera Tanden.
The speakers outlined what will become, if Obama is elected, his national strategy for HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention and research. They also spoke fervently about the differences between Sens. Obama and McCain in terms of past actions and political promises regarding the epidemic.
"One of the most important differences (between Obama and McCain) is going to be leadership on public health issues which are facing America," said DeGette. "In particular, the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic. When you look at the records, it's clear that Sens. Obama and Biden will provide America with strong leadership on this issue."
Indeed, Obama's comprehensive health care reforms, he has claimed, would cover pre-existing conditions – a huge problem for HIV positive Americans currently trying to obtain health care.
In addition, DeGette and Thurman noted that if elected, Obama plans to create a national AIDS strategy that focuses on the epidemic at home, while maintaining support abroad. "We have an epidemic in the United States which, in many ways, has not slowed down," commented Thurman. "…I can't imagine anything more important than having a national aids strategy, the likes of which we have never had in the history of this epidemic for over a quarter century. If we don't do it now, we'll never do it, and Barack Obama and Joe Biden have promised to give us a national strategy in the first year of their administration."
The speakers talked extensively about the Ryan White Care Act, the funding for which has remained stagnant for almost a decade. While McCain has voted against an increase in its funding, DeGette claimed that under an Obama administration, funding would go up, though an exact amount was not given. "With the Ryan White Care Act up for reauthorization next year and the potential to pass the Early Treatment of HIV Act, we need an administration that will work hand-in-hand with Congress to make this happen," DeGette said. "And that's one of the reasons I think it's imperative we elect Sen. Obama."
Thurman and DeGette also noted that both nationally and internationally, McCain has supported abstinence-only, faith-based sexual education. "Sen. McCain, as recently as a year ago, said that he didn't think we should use condoms as part of an AIDS prevention strategy. That we should use abstinence," DeGette said. "And frankly, that's really no policy at all."
This issue has been brought up locally in regard to the young, black MSM population in Michigan, which has experienced extreme increases in new infections and has been targeted for prevention, education and testing efforts. "We need to be very specific about where we target our efforts and the kind of information that we give people who are most at risk, including young people, that speaks their language, not ours," Thurman said. "That's based on science, not ideology. That we're age appropriate with youth, but that we don't sugarcoat our messages. That we're very, very direct in the kinds of messages that we give young people to help them keep themselves safe from HIV.
"I think we haven't done that, and there's a real commitment with Sen. Obama and his team to make sure that that happens."
A related issue that was addressed was the stigma associated with the disease. Milan, who has been infected for 26 years and is also vice president and director of Community Health Systems at the Altarum Insitute, stressed the need for leadership that addressed issues like homophobia, racism and fear in regard to HIV/AIDS. To Milan, Obama is that long-awaited leader. "(Sen. Obama) is not buying into the stigma," he said. "He is not flaming the fear of HIV and AIDS. He's addressing it in a very comprehensive and direct way."
Moreover, said Milan, he addresses communities heavily affected by HIV/AIDS, such as the gay community, with respect and understanding. "The stigma of homophobia is not something that is crippling (Sen. and Mrs. Obama)," he said, noting that Michelle Obama had spoken to LGBT delegates at the national convention, and Sen. Obama had addressed LGBT rights issues in many public addresses. "They are inspiring those of us who have been living with this disease and affected by it."
