By Sean Rogers
Arizona Daily Wildcat
December 4, 1997

Don't forget other victims

Editor:

As I was walking down the U of A Mall today, I couldn't help but notice all of the white sheets draped across the art pieces that are scattered throughout our campus. After reading the slogan painted onto the sheets, which stated that we were all going without art for a day in respect for all of the AIDS victims in the world, I realized just how clueless the U of A truly is. The first reason for this is that the majority of these AIDS victims procured this disease because of something they knew could cause them harm. The majority of these victims (not all, however) had unprotected sex, which we all should know better in doing. Now, we don't take the time to call people who have lung cancer from smoking "victims", and I see no reason to do the same for people with AIDS. Secondly, it seems that the only reason the U of A arts group does this is simply because AIDS is today's "popular calamity" that is affecting the world. Have they forgotten about all the innocent victims of the world? Have they forgotten about the starving children in Africa? They are still starving, even though their cause is not as popular as it once was. I am not saying that people with AIDS don't deserve sympathy, because they certainly do. Some issues in this world simply need more attention than others. While AIDS is one of newest problems we face, it doesn't make the reality of starving children go away. These children don't have a choice with the life they have been given and can't do anything about it. It is time for the U of A arts department to look at what is important, and act accordingly.

Sean Rogers
MIS Freshman