Newspapers / North Carolina Wesleyan University … / Dec. 14, 1992, edition 1 / Page 2
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PAGE 2 — THE DECREE — DECEMBER 14,1992 Wesleyan schedules programs as part of National AIDS Week LET THEIR LIGHTS SHINE — Members of the Campus Ac tivities Board set out luminaires on the afternoon of Dec. 8 as part of Wesleyan’s Christmas Celebration. Among those helping with the project were (from left) Jennifer Littlejohn and Heather Diez. (Photo by Beth Sherrard.) In conjunction with National AIDS Week, North Carolina Wesleyan College held a variety of educational programs last week to inform and warn about the AIDS virus. Keynote speaker for the week was BiU Brantley, member of the board of directors of Rocky Mount’s CARA (Care and Re sponse to AIDS). Brantley, former editor and publisher of the Saturday Evening Post, has also been diagnosed HTV-positive. “One out of every 100 people has AIDS in this country,” he said on Dec. 7, which amounts to about 2.2 million infected with the disease, the greatest health challenge this world has ever known. In June, the National AIDS Commission reported that the United States has the largest number of people infected with HIV in the world, yet, Brantiey said, they have no plan to deal with it. This fatal epidemic will claim the lives of more people than the major plagues in history. By the year 2000, Brantley warned, it is Panel looks at homelessness By KIMBERLY CURSEEN Society is plagued with many social ills such as drugs, crime, the threat of disease — and the homeless. In a country of plenty and abundance, there are five mil lion known homeless people who inhabit this nation. In fact, most Americans are just three pay checks away fiom being home less. North Carolina Wesleyan Col lege, in a series of public forums held in the Student Activities Cen ter, addressed the problem of the Homeless recently. Despite poor attendance by faculty and staff, the forum was considered by those who attended an enlighten ing and informative half hour. In attendance were two staff members. Housing Director Cheryl McKenzie and South Hall Resident Director Mike San- seviro, who organized this par ticular forum. Also two Wesleyan students. Brad Barnes and Lionel Moad, attended. The panel of four held a ques- tion-and-answer and a discussion session- on the |»-Qblems, of. the^ homeless, causes of the problems. and how students can personally help make a difference. Sanseviro brought to the forum statistics from Newsweek magazine on the homeless. According \o Newsweek’s fig ures, during 1992 five percent of the homeless are elderly, one- third are mentally ill, and three- fourths are alcoholics or drug us ers. Also, teenagers are the fast est growing group among the homeless. One out of every three homeless individuals are teenag ers. Sanseviro said that AIDS among the homeless population is growing. McKenzie volunteers her time at the Rocky Mount homeless shelter, the Soup Kitchen. She was very vocal throughout the meting, giving details of her vol unteer experience and her opin ion as to some of the causes of the homeless problem. She said that the homeless do not always have access to the various kinds of necessary assistance. “They can’t receive welfare unless they have a permanent ad dress,” she said. “They get caught up y).lh9,bui;raujcratic system.” Sanseviro suggested that what some states have already done is to make post office boxes count as addresses. McKenzie also stressed how important student contributions are. She said some homeless shel ters are held together by “bandaids.” She also said that at the Soup Kitchen where she vol unteers, people only receive one hot meal a week, on Thursdays. She said the shelter is at the mercy of the kindness of the commu nity. Lionel Moad pointed out that “some want to be homeless.” Some individuals choose that life for one reason or another. Some times people feel the world is hard to deal with or they find out they are better off homeless than be fore. A world that forces people to do that is a tragedy, he said. Moad was very involved in tiie food drive sponsored and headed by the C.A.B. He said that aU contributions are welcome and much needed. Brad Barnes said that he plans personally to attend a homeless shelter for the experi ence. He also supports the cam pus-wide food and clothing drive forthehomeless. ’ ’ " ’ ’ predicted that 40 million people worldwide will die of AIDS. This, he said, is going to change the entire structure of society, just as the plagues did. At least 70-80 percent of the people in all the gay bars Brantley has visited are HIV-positive. He said he can teU by looking at them that they have the disease, yet many have not been tested. Among the routine problems those infected with the virus face are insurance, transportation, food, housing, and employment. Transportation becomes a prob lem, Brantiey said, because not many local doctors want or have the resources to ti-eat this disease. “But there are a few,” he said, “and I’m thankful they are here.” Other complex problems that loom over these dying people are spiritual issues. The United States has taken the stance that AIDS is a behavioral problem that will take care of itself, Brantley said, and churches are running hard against the disease. Everything is preaching a vwathful God, he con tinued, but no one is taught about Jesus, who never turned his back on anyone. Brantley said the most impor tant stance to take is to be a Sa maritan. “How would you want or deserve to be treated? I’m Bap tist enough to say, ‘Go Aqy do likewise,’” he said. “HIV is a disease,” he stressed, “and the only moral issue sur rounding it is the response to those who are sick and dying. These people need help, not condemna tion.” Brantley said that those with AIDS are pushing for a compre hensive national health plan to be assured of funds for the costly drugs HIV-positives need. As with any expensive healtii com plication, insurance proves to be a problem, from epilepsy to mul tiple sclerosis. Because he has availed him self to the testing of many drugs as a human guinea pig, Brantiey said hs( has lengthened his life and plans to live at least six more years. But, he warned, anyone who has fee6n sexually active in the last six months is at risk and should be tested. Tests taken three to six months after having sex or using drugs prove positively whether a per son has AJDS, even though symp toms may not come about for 10- 15 years later. Ultimately, every one needs to be tested, he said. Brantley gave several sugges tions of ways in which people can help those who have AIDS, including: • Don’t discriminate against those with AIDS — it’s illegal. • Continue to educate the com munity on how the disease is sfifSaiJ- Make people stop irratio- 0^ fearing those infected. Warn ofit)Wxd^,gers o£sex and drugs. Ill I II r'tnrt f> Personals/Classified The space is provided for anyone to leave mes sages, advertise, or simply be heard. The cost of a persona^-pioc^l^lliedirjs 25 cents pgr word. All re quests must be received in the Decree office in the Spruill Building. Payment is due on acceptance. $$$$ FREE TRAVEL AND RESUME EXPERIENCE. Individuals and student or ganizations wanted to pro mote Spring Break. Call the nation’s leader, Inter-Cam- pus Programs, 1-800-327- 6013. To everyone: Good luck on finals and have a happy holiday! Congratulations, Doctor Christensen!!! Troy: Good luck with your seminar presentation! And congrats on finally getting outta here! Pam — Nice hair! T.A. — I hear Rolling Stone classifieds has some nice holiday specials!! Save the non-tenured fac ulty!!! NCWG—Where the reme dial sluderA comes first. Great spirits have always encountered violent oppo sition from mediocre minds, -r- Albert Einstein.
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