The Coveted Commandment: HIV/AIDS , BHR © 2014 by Wayne Dan Lewis, Sr

Pitting the cure of AIDS Against the Return of Christ,

in the State of Louisiana

Five Questions Regarding HIV/AIDS
1. What is it? Human Immunodeficiency Virus- Virus known to cause AIDS (Acquired Immunity Deficiency Syndrome)- It affects the body’s ability to fight off infections and cancer; [2]
2. How do you contract? Contracted through unprotected sex or needle-sharing; [3]
3. What are the symptoms? Headaches, fever, rash (that doesn’t itch), diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, to name a few symptoms[4]
4. What is/are the treatments? (See your doctor)
5. Is there a cure? There has been no proven cure for HIV/AIDS. [5]
6. How much does it cost Federally? [6]
  1. FY 2011 $ 20,548,000
  2. FY 2012 $ 21,365,000
  3. FY 2014 $ 23,211,000 (Requested by President Obama)
7. How much does it cost in Louisiana?
  1. In Louisiana, hundreds of HIV/AIDS patients are being thrown out of State’s largest Insurance Provider [7]
  2. Louisiana refuses Medicaid expansion and health care reform[8]
Here in the State of Louisiana- The issue regarding HIV/AIDS has more to do with what we don’t know, versus what we do know. What we don’t know is how, in our State of Louisiana, those who suffer from this debilitating and terminal disease are receiving medical care? Why in the State of Louisiana? Because, it is our governor, Bobby Jindal, who has refused, on behalf of those in need of medical care, Medicaid monies from the federal government. What is the connection? I’ll explain shortly. Additionally, what is BHR and why is it mentioned here? In brief, it has to do with the Christian Conservative view of people who are poor, and who, if they do not have the means to take care of themselves, i.e. insurance, that they are not worth providing care for, in a nutshell. I’ll go into detail shortly.
Why this Topic? I have selected this topic of HIV/AIDS because it represents a group of citizens, particularly here in the State of Louisiana, who may also represent the many of our citizens across the United States and the world. Perceptually, if one has HIV/AIDS, it is not at the height of concern when it comes to providing healthcare dollars, the same as those who are perceived to be poor. The poor, and those who have this disease could very well be one in the same, but not necessarily. Here is why:
Poor? The term poor, as we have all been lead to believe, is someone who has no money. But , as we have all learned, and if we will study, we will find that there are many who have money, but that money, when prioritized for the family, only goes so far. Even if a family earns $50,000, in a given set of circumstances, their particular situation may still put them in a category that limits them from living a comfortable and productive life. Yes, they maybe poor, but they are the working poor, and they are a growing number in America.
Conversely, those who may have the HIV/AIDS virus may not all be poor either, initially at least. Many of those who may have contracted the virus may have been anywhere from dirt poor to mega-star rich, until, or unless the treatment for their illness bankrupted them. Or, as in the case of Basketball Superstar, Magic Johnson,[9] who has survived 20 years or better with the disease, he has the financial means to address, and where possible, sustain him against the tragedy that is the HIV/AIDS virus.
So, as we can see, the absolute perception of having HIV/AIDS, and being poor aren’t necessarily one in the same. But, if you are living in the State of Louisiana, under our Christian Conservative[10] banner, you are perceived and treated as though these two terms are mutually inclusive of each other. Correct me if I am wrong. Now what?
In Keeping with previous Coveted Commandment Blog Posts- The purpose of these pieces is to always have a solution. We know what we know about contracting, containing, and the various statistics that are easily accessible on the internet. But what we don’t know is, whether or not there are trials afoot to prevent the cure of this dreadful disease. What we don’t know, but could speculate, is that this disease does not compare to Breast Cancer, Heart Disease, Prostrate Cancer, Colon Cancer, or Muscular Dystrophy to name a few. We know there are lesser known diseases that have their own foundations that receive monies to help those who are stricken in some life-altering way. But what we don’t know is, why this disease, or any other disease is determined to be of lesser value when effects a significant number of people, throughout the State of Louisiana, throughout the United States, and throughout the world. And, if we found out what that answer is, will it result in a faster means of securing a cure? Not necessarily.
What Don’t We Know? What we don’t know about our state, Louisiana, is whether or not she is playing a world-wide role in keeping men and women from receiving not only medical care for not only this debilitating disease, but for any other diseases. For example, Heart Disease, [11] Breast Cancer,[12] MS,[13] Prostrate Cancer[14] or Colon Cancer[15] and a host of other serious illnesses. How are these decisions made, and who are the powerful people in the board rooms of either our medical facilities, pharmaceutical corporations, or non-profit groups, or political groups, if at all applicable, who decide not to direct funds in a given direction? No answer will be provided here, and to pursue that answer would take further from providing the most important answer of all: how do we provide financial coverage for those in need of assistance?
Are we playing God? It is important that I propose this question here. Perhaps not the right place, or the right question, but I find that this question comes up a lot when it comes to deciding who lives, and who dies. I find it noticeable that we have to ask this question because whenever the answer is best presented, it all comes down to who has value? It seems to always come down to who can afford what is on the table in order to receive care? And when that answer is finally put in total retrospect, it comes down to money. God has nothing to do with it. It honestly comes down to money, even in our so-called Christian Conservative State, that seems to conveniently use God and/or religion as did Moses did his Staff over the Red Sea. Money. That’s what’s it is, and will continue to be. Thus, The Coveted Commandment: Thou Shalt Build Wealth.
So, will HIV/AIDS be cured for all? Not if money is the determining factor. The same can be said for even the most important of our illnesses, i.e. Heart Disease, Cancer, Breast Cancer, etc. By no means, I hope that no one is ever cured of any disease. But if we are basing it on what has been the driving force to date, money is the engine that motivates us to believe that a cure is close at hand. By the same token, money is seems to be sufficient to fund the cause more than the cure. Condemn me at will.
Should we stop praying? Not at all. If you know like I know, prayers cures everything. Truth be told, I don’t think that there aren’t many doctors, nurses and other medical professionals, who, with all of their know-how don’t fall back on prayer to steady their hands, to increase their knowledge, or to save a patient, because they, as the medical professional s that they are, will have done all that they could do. I think that many of our medical professionals whisper a quiet prayer or two, and conclude: “That it is all in God’s hands now”.
Prayer over Money?- Perhaps, and this is a shot in the dark, we are not praying enough. Perhaps, we are depending too much on the money to cure HIV/AIDS, Breast Cancer, Prostrate Cancer, or any other disease. I am no more likely than anyone else to speak to the power of prayer, but it may very well work, that if we step up our prayers, over and above the promised cures from every group that raises monies but have yet to deliver a known cure, we may see an improvement in our conditions (Send your cards and letters at will). This is not to say, don’t listen to your doctors, or stop taking your medications. But, what if money was not the reason you were cured? What if your prayers were answered for every disease that every organization was fighting to raise money for, and in the end, you didn’t need them? What would happen to that money? What would happen to you? Yes, you would be cured, and the organizations would take credit, and the state of Louisiana would take credit, in whatever sick way it does. But you, you would have to give credit to none other than one thing: you prayed.
Did I Just Rattle Off? I know I went off on a tangent there, but I mentioned prayer because, if for no other reason, we are in the state of Louisiana. Which like so many other states like it, has leanings towards a Christian Conservative State. This perception of having Christian values, despite the fact that it will leave its citizens without health care, on an emergency room floor if not governmentally required, dying of a heart attack, or Louisiana will turn the mentally ill over to a contractual agency because it saves money, rather than provide reasonable care to those in need. What does this mean to us, as citizens, who witness this type of government? It leaves us to challenge ourselves. To not be apart of, nor condone a government that puts the least of its citizens in so dire a need, that it would refuse money to help them. [16] Our challenge, should we decide to accept it, is simple. We decide to take our governmental leaders on, and convince them that time is of the essence. That if our leaders want to play the Christian Conservative card, that they prepare themselves in preparation for the return of Christ. If they are going to use Christ as their sword and shield to deny those in need, then prove themselves worthy of your votes, and support. Thus: BHR, Before His Return.
Where do we start? Our governmental leaders can begin with the least among us: The poor; those with HIV/AIDS; those without health insurance; those without homes or food to eat; those without jobs, and those who need mental health assistance.
When do we start? Now! We can resolve this very day, April 1, 2014, to look within the legislature to loosen the purse strings to provide help to those in need. We can call the governor’s office. We can call on our governor to call President Barack Obama to notify him that he will accept the millions of dollars that will put patients in hospital beds, nursing homes, and/or treatment facilities, so that they begin to receive the kind of care that anyone person is most deserving, simply because they are human, not because they are rich.
BHR-It is a challenge that we, as citizens should be willing to issue to our government, because somewhere I read that this is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, and we are people, and so are they who are in need. It is a challenge, that if we believe in the power of the people, we need to make haste our notice because of our supposed Christian values, that to the best of my knowledge, does not, at the very least, discriminate against the least among us. Time is of the essence, and we need to be quick about this simple task and see to its completion, Before His Return.

Disclaimer: Information provided here is deemed to be from reliable sources. No information provided here should be considered as legal, clerical or financial information. Please consult with your respective professional for related advice.
The Coveted Commandment Blog and The Coveted Commandment are both copyrights of Wayne Dan Lewis, Sr. 2014.