Hey what's up to all my NOISEmakers? My name is Kenny Johnson, and I'm an intern at the Youth Noise office in San Francisco. I was looking at your postings on the NOISEboard and wanted to know if you would be interested putting your input on the issue with two million children with HIV. The input we would like are on:

1. Are we doing enough to help the 2 million children with HIV?

2. What can be done to help these children in need?

3. And, What views do you have on the HIV/AIDS virus not only dealing with children but everyone included?
(You can include all three topics in one article instead of doing three different articles)
If you only want to write on just one then that's cool.

The piece should be article length and ought to involve opinions supported by factual explanations.

If interested in writing on these topics, you can reply and send your article to my email and I will post it on the new YN page going up next week.

Thank you for your time and we're looking forward to hearing back from you.

Sincerely,

Kenny Johnson
YN Office, SF
brooklyn_nikkuh1025@hotmail.com


Kenny Johnson, Intern YN San Francisco Offie

When you say children, do you mean below the age of 12, or until about 16? I think that we are (only in the united states), especially females. Since females have many down-sliding factors due to the virus. Currently in testing there is a vaginal jelly, that is supposed to block the AIDS virus when applied. As well as the AIDS vaccine, that has currently come into the "spotlight" in ther medical field. And let us not forget about prevention education. It's not like most people do not know about AIDS because educational programs teach youth that the best method to prevent AIDS is abstinence. Furthermore, prevention educational programs also warn the same group about other STD's and STI's. From, new medical outbreaks and discoveries, to teaching safer sexual habbits, it would be hard for me to say that at least in America, we are not doing all that can be done to at least prevent future generations from transmitting the disease. Also, Americans are traveling to countries that have high rates of contraction of the AIDS virus, and educating there as well as here at home. As for those who are already infected, medications are becoming not only more effective, but more powerful as well. And there is so much support availiable to such persons.



2. What can be done to help these children in need?



Uhhh...see number 1.



3. And, What views do you have on the HIV/AIDS virus not only dealing with children but everyone included?



I agree that is is a highly preventable disease. In both those who live lives full of promiscuity to children who are born with AIDS because they contracted it from their biological parent(s). People always say to "be careful", but realistically how do you be careful?! You can't tell people not to have sex. It's human nature and we have it in us to want to be sexually intimate with another mate. Definetly safer sex should be practiced; condoms, practicing monogamy, and getting tested every 6 months to a year or each time you switch partners. Of course one should be aware of who they are having sex with, but you take a risk everytime you have sex with anyone. Because though it would be really nice if our partners would be completely honest with us, they have no obligation to tell us anything! Personally, I'm very lucky to have my soulmate and a very responsible partner. I know that if he did have something wrong he would let me know. Thats very important and rare, to have a partnership in which you both equally are 100% responsible. And sex is a mature thing to be doing, if you arent mature enough to do it, and especially deal with the consequences, then you shouldn't be doing it.