Today, I want to take a brief moment to talk about something that I don't understand and that I have passively taken a stance against. It only affects me about once every two or three months, because that's how often I face this discrimination.
Today, we had a blood drive on campus.
Luckily, I didn't know about it until after dinner...it would have completely ruined my entire day if I had known about it beforehand. You see, I would like to give blood. I have no problem with needles, my veins are very visible (seeing as my skin is like onion leaf pages), and I would like to help the world. On top of that, I love cookies and juice. Further, I've never passed out and I think that the sensation is something that I should have in my past. Giving blood seems a good thing from all of these angles.
But I can't give blood.
The reason I can't give blood is this, from the American Red Cross website. Basically, since I'm a practicing homosexual, I can't offer to save a life through blood donations to the American Red Cross (and many other organizations). This has led to me conflicting views on the Red Cross. On the one hand, I support their world-wide mission, I fully believe in the Red Diamond and all of its subsidiary organizations, I like the third Geneva Accord, I want them to continue doing good work, and I want to help.
But, it's hard to support something when they say carte blanche: "We don't want your help."
I guess maybe the community's money is good enough, but not its soul.
Recent Posts
Labels
- 205 (1)
- A-Bowl (1)
- AHA (3)
- back (3)
- Baylee (1)
- Books (3)
- Camps (1)
- capstone (2)
- Catie (5)
- Children (2)
- CYLA (11)
- Davis (1)
- Dolly Parton (1)
- Dot (1)
- Dottie (2)
- Dreams (1)
- Election (1)
- Environment (1)
- family (2)
- Fear (1)
- Fiona (1)
- food (1)
- Gay (4)
- Georgia (1)
- Glee (1)
- Habit (1)
- Haiku Review (2)
- Jamel (1)
- Jewelry (1)
- K'Fain (6)
- Lani (2)
- Life (96)
- Los Angeles (9)
- Love's Call (1)
- Lucia (1)
- Lunch (3)
- Mandy (1)
- Manifesto (5)
- Marty (5)
- Mason (2)
- Millie (1)
- Movies (1)
- Mr. Disney (2)
- Museums (1)
- Notes (1)
- Obama (2)
- Olympics (2)
- Past (11)
- personality (10)
- Pet Peeve (1)
- Photo Blog (1)
- Poetry (2)
- Politics (7)
- Protest (4)
- Quick Post (2)
- Race (2)
- Random (1)
- rant (10)
- Reccomendations (5)
- Relationships (1)
- Religion (1)
- Rene (2)
- reviews (2)
- Service (1)
- Sex (2)
- Shoes (1)
- Shopping (1)
- Shorter (16)
- STD (3)
- Story (12)
- Storyboard (1)
- Thanksgiving (1)
- theatre (9)
- Tifton (1)
- Tommy (1)
- TTATO (1)
- TV (2)
- Underground (1)
- Update (1)
- Wedding (1)
- Writing (6)
2 comments:
This really bothers me. I didn't know this about the Red Cross. I'm willing to bet that a good chunk of people who donated blood have HIV/AIDS without knowing it, regardless of their sexual preferences.
If you know you don't have HIV/AIDS, even if you have to be able to prove it if necessary, you should be allowed to donate blood. Just think how much more and how many more lives could be saved if they amended this provision?
This is something that really needs to be re-looked at if they are in such dire need for blood as they usually say they are. And while I do appreciated what they do, this is one way they could do even more.
Other blood banks have amended the position, but Red Cross. It's just simpler.
AIDS isn't a gay problem; it's a human problem. Blood gets tested anyway, and you gain nothing by asking about unprotected sexual conduct...instead, why not ask the burning question: Do you have AIDS? Have you tested HIV-positive?
Oh...wait...they already do.
Post a Comment