Dr Ceesay, I agree with your prognosis of the AIDS epidemic and the solutions you have offered in helping reducing it's menace especially on the African continent. The only bit I beg to differ with was your subtle swipe at what you labelled as "liberal culture" which you seem to insinuate as the purveyor of sexual permissiveness and relativism which many Islamists and moralists say is responsible for AIDS and its continuing spread. Far from it, the spread of AIDS has as much to do with "liberal culture" as Nazism has anything to do with tolerance for racial differences. Perhaps you will be kind in enlightening us as to why the ascendancy of "liberal culture" has so much to be responsible for the spreading of AIDS. This is one of the convenient excuses of moralists and conservatives for social decadence attributed to mishandling of modernity especially in Africa. Of course, this epidemic because of it's nature and attributes, has moral ramifications that cannot be dumbed down on the specious arguments that mainstream scientists like to point out; that moral equations will hardly enlighten us about AIDS because moralising has metaphysical footnotes which really has potentials for obscuring and paralysing scientific enlightenment. It is interesting you brought to the fore the analogy of Lot which is some of the things scientists are objecting to. I have no quarrel with the moral equation so long as it broadens the scope of penetration in the mindset of society that something dangerous is lurking in the corridors of society and can claim anyone as a victim. Only prevention is capable of saving us and by prevention, it is only natural we moralise it. Anything that evaluates and appreciates our survival as a people, has moral equations that can hardly be described as not indispensable. My beef with the African side of the AIDS epidemic, is more political and social. I have asked myself for the umpteenth time why enough resources have not been allocated to the campaign sensitising people on this deadly disease? Why are there not enough docu-dramas/soaps on national TVs, radio and print media that speak our local languages and in manners befitting our cultures on the AIDS epidemic? Why is outfits like GRTS so obsessed with showing infantile footages of Burr-Ba Kaninlai raving and ranting incessantly and not showing/entertaining the country folks on themes of safe sex and the consequences of sexual permissiveness especially in the age of AIDS? Why is Africa the only continent to entertain in a grand manner eccentric pseudo-scientists on whether there is a thing like AIDS or not? These unnecessary quarrels about the existence and origins of AIDS have invariably led to the tragic spread of the disease amongst the ignorant and obstinate. Why is a very capable and intelligent man like Mbeki entertaining doubts about the AIDS virus when he is seeing before his own eyes his nation crippling from the pernicious effects of this epidemic? I could go on and on.......... the complaints are endless. At this stage, one thing is crucial in saving Africa from being reduced to a continent of senior citizens in ten or twenty years time. That is massive public enlightenment that is not crippled by eccentric pseudo-scientist doubters or lack of funds to aggressively sensitise the whole populace. In this, there must room for all with any social, political and social stripes; from religious leaders to political leaders, from empowered women groups to disability groups. The silence and incoherent approaches needs to be broken at once. Gov't leaders, community leaders, and whoever matters in our society, must invoke Buckley's "utilitarian imperative" and make AIDS awareness campaigns a daily activity in every nook and crevice of society. Only this can save those who are yet to be carriers of the epidemic. Also you noted that some of our traditions are not helping our case. You were also spot on when you advised that there should be a sensitive and sensible questioning of some our harmful traditions which invariably make victims of us. This patronising racist myth about the African being some sexual stallion and some ignorant Africans falling for the claptrap, is not helpful. Look at rape in South Africa. This infantile and prehistoric attitude of some African males is invariably responsible for some tragic deaths from the epidemic. Your bit on the that Jola tradition of sharing wives especially during circumcision festivals; communal sex and all that [if it exists as I am not sure. But definitely heard of it], needs to be frowned upon on with the possible intervention of the State if it comes to that. Like you I stand corrected. Hope someone enlighten us on that issue. Many thanks for sharing. Hamjatta Kanteh We should therefore claim, in the name of tolerance, the right not to tolerate the intolerant. Karl Popper 1902-1994 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------