Kansas Bill Calls For HIV-Positive Quarantine

MEDIA ROOTS — Safety and security, or steps toward segregation? If passed, a proposed bill in Kansas would pave the way for discrimination and dehumanisation through vague language calling for quarantine of people with “infectious diseases,” part and parcel of regressive measures tending toward soft fascism.

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GAY STAR NEWS — A proposed bill in Kansas is calling for people with HIV or AIDS to be quarantined.

Lawmakers are close to passing a new law discriminating against those who have HIV or AIDS, forcing them to be isolated or have their movements restricted.

Kansas House Bill 2183, which has passed in the Kansas Senate, will update the state’s public health statute by allowing quarantine of Kansans with ‘infectious diseases.’

Senator Marci Francisco attempted to restore an amendment providing an exclusion for people living with HIV/AIDS, saying the disease is not spread through casual contact and the bill could permit discrimination.

Cody Patton, Executive Director of sexual health charity Positive Directions, said: ‘We live in a very conservative state and I’m afraid there are still many people, especially in rural Kansas, that have inadequate education and understanding concerning HIV/AIDS.

‘My fear would not be the state uses the law as some way to move all people living with HIV/AIDS into an isolated community, but that this law could allow some county employee to use this law to justify their religious beliefs over their professional responsibilities and discriminate against people with HIV/AIDS.’

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MEDIA ROOTS — One of the greatest myths perpetuated by anti-gay politicians is that children raised by a hetero-normative male/female unit turn out better than ones raised by gay parents. Statistics and facts have defeated this myth countless times–but regardless of the data–members of the religious right continue to spread this disinformation.

While Abby was working with Luke Rudkowski from WeAreChange, she happened to catch up with Rick Santorum in a DC hotel lobby. But when WeAreChange posted the video on its YouTube channel, the reaction from the organization’s base was mostly negative, ranging from people calling it a ‘distraction’ or ‘wedge issue’ to agreeing with Santorum’s viewpoint on homosexuality.

The video’s reaction revealed how a large percentage of people who associate themselves with the ‘liberty’ movement let their bigoted views trump respecting LGBT civil rights in this country. To illustrate this hypocrisy, check out the video’s top rated YouTube comments:

“Oh wow more dislikes than likes on a WeAreChange video! Probably because your asking Rick Santorum an irrelevant question on gay marriage. Go back to chasing down the power brokers of the NWO, and I wont dislike your video again.”

“Gay marriage is a NWO strategy to destroy morality and any real human values (like honor and dignity) and you are for it????”

While unfortunate that a movement focusing on the erosion of civil liberties would react so poorly to such a confrontation, other media outlets like Raw Story recognized the importance of slamming Santorum with such a question.

Robbie Martin for Media Roots

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Abby Martin confronts Rick Santorum

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RAW STORY – The socially conservative politician — who once said he was willing to die to prevent same sex marriages — was recently confronted about his views by Abby Martin of Media Roots.

“You said during your campaign that homosexual parents — that kids don’t thrive under homosexual parents, but actually studies have shown that kids thrive equally under homosexual parents as they do straight parents,” she asked Santorum. “Do you think this hateful rhetoric, you know, you’re fighting a losing battle here — as homosexuality is more accepted by the day.”

“I don’t think it’s hateful rhetoric,” Santorum answered. “I think having public policy discussions is not hateful rhetoric.”

“But it’s incorrect,” Martin interrupted.

“I think characterizing it as such is a typical tactic that those who do not want to have a real discussion about the issues,” Santorum said.

gay rights

Kansas Bill Calls For HIV-Positive Quarantine

Rick Santorum Denies his Gay Rhetoric “Hateful’