RED ALERT: HERSHEY MAY INFECT YOU WITH HATE

I am outraged and won’t remain silent on an issue that has my blood boiling to the point where I just tossed anything and everything Hershey into my trash can because I am afraid for the safety of my mental-health whereby these products, when ingested, may infect me with hate towards people living with HIV/AIDS.  And you know what sucks about this – all this time I have been eating Reeses Peanut Butter Cups – my favorite candy in the whole wide world - and who knew it was filled with artificial love and fake yumminess that slowly kills the soul with hate! UGH!!!!! It tasted toooooo good to be true – I knew it!

Here’s the gist of what I want to share with you. . . (please watch this very short video).

In an NBC Philadelphia news release (which was posted on World AIDS Day, nonetheless), there have been an overwhelming number of comments filled with hate supporting this school’s decision to not enroll this 13 year old boy because of his HIV status. You really should read the comments, as your jaw may hit the floor faster than my gut reached the core of the earth. . . I am stunned!!

One person (who appears to be from a law-firm and is a Yale graduate) suggested in a comment that there should be a separate and special school for kids with HIV/AIDS. Really dumb-ass? Is this what you learned at Yale? What decade are you living in? Pick up a book and get educated about HIV/AIDS. Your law-firm should fire you for even making such a blatantly uneducated comment such as that.

Several students who attend this school also left comments stating such things as "we horse around and some of us are having unprotected sex, we don’t want anyone with AIDS around us, he would just give it to everybody."  WTF????!!!!! Is this school teaching and promoting? I mean what kind of insanity is at the heart of this institution that alleges it fosters the growth and genuine care for all youth no matter their challenges in life . . . and promotes (according the comments left by these students) unsafe sex?

Another individual, who is actually living with HIV, made the following comment, “The school should SUE the local HIV agencies for NOT doing enough to stop HIV, the time has come to fight the accounting fraud and negligent behavior of the HIV agencies in America. HIV is NOT job security! I will NOT tolerate being a CASH COW, the gravy train MUST BE derailed!”  I have to disagree with this. It is up to each and every person in this world to stop HIV - the agencies as I see it are here to provide awareness and education and testing and support services. . . (they cannot nor can we expect these agencies to hold our hands when it comes to prevention. . .) it is up to the human race to stop HIV / AIDS and to end Stigma. Pointing fingers at agencies (while I must say some agencies are worthless and don't do a damn thing to bring enough awareness) won't solve a thing. We need to point the finger back onto ourselves and ask "Am I doing enough . . . to prevent and end HIV /AIDS and to end Stigma and hate that is driven by fear of others who simply are not educated on the facts vs. the myths?" Until every person in our world asks this question and puts into motion his / her own action steps. . . HIV / AIDS will always be here.

I will BAN HERSHEY PRODUCTS and I am asking all of my followers and friends, from this day forward, to simply do the same until such time Hershey man’s up and publicly apologizes and admits THEY ARE WRONG. Additionally, I am demanding that the Hershey school institute a program that educates their personnel, students and the communities they serve about the facts vs. the myths re: people living with HIV/AIDS in an effort to reverse the damage they have done.

I have signed a petition as my action step (in addition to throwing Hershey Hate into my trash can) in support of this kid's fight to educate the world that discrimination towards those living with HIV/AIDS will NOT BE TOLERATED. 

Let’s send a message loud and clear that we will NOT TOLERATE DISCRIMINATION, STIGMA and FEAR.

TAKE ACTION: Share this post and sign the petition. This boy needs our support and dammit let’s make sure he has it until we win this one fight in the war against HIV/AIDS discrimination.

To the boy and his family . . . you have me on your side! Stay strong . . . you will prevail! 

I am Daniel and I am living pozitively. Thank you for following my blog.