Passengers on Flight MH17 Headed to AIDS Conference

[Scott]

Sadly, the MH17 disaster may have a close impact on the gay community:

Passengers on MH17 were headed to AIDS conference

SYDNEY (AP) — Several passengers on board a Malaysian jetliner shot down over Ukraine were world-renowned researchers heading to an international AIDS conference in Australia, officials said Friday.

“A number of people” on board the Boeing 777 were en route to the southern Australian city of Melbourne to attend the 20th International AIDS conference, which starts Sunday, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop told reporters in Brisbane.

The plane, which was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, crashed Thursday with 298 people on board. American intelligence authorities believe a surface-to-air missile brought the aircraft down but it was not yet clear who fired the missile.

NEW YORK POST

http://nypost.com/2014/07/17/aids-conference-attendees-on-downed-malaysian-jet/

[David48]

The news of what you mention above has been across the news today.

From an Australian source ...

About 100 of the 298 people killed in the Malaysia Airlines crash were heading to Melbourne for a major AIDS conference, conference attendees have been told.

Delegates at a pre-conference in Sydney were told on Friday morning that about 100 medical researchers, health workers and activists were on the plane that went down near the Russia-Ukraine border, including former International AIDS Society president Joep Lange.

Friends and colleagues of Dutch HIV researcher Dr Joep Lange took to social media to express shock that he was among the victims. Dr Lange had been researching HIV for 30 years.

SMH

[neverdie]

Thanks for creating this thread Scott.

I am deeply saddened to hear the news that so many wonderful people involved in the fight to stop HIV/Aids have lost their lives whilst enroute to Melbourne for the conference.

The impact of this evil crime will be far reaching and my thoughts are with these wonderful, doctors, scientists and research personnel, their families and friends.

I sincerely hope that the colleagues of these people will find the strength to continue the fight for a cure.

Another extremely sad day. RIP.

[mrtoad]

A very sad day, not just for the gay community, but for everybody across the world. The people involved in the research of HIV are responsible for saving millions of lives, and those that work in that field for making more awareness and support for the millions affected.

I fear however that the shitty politics of certain countries around the world will likely cloud any justice that is owed to these people.

[Suradit69]

Sadly, the MH17 disaster may have a close impact on the gay community:

Not sure what "close impact" means but both this tragedy and the loss to scientific research generally & AIDS research in particular "belongs" to a wider community than just gays. AIDS has certainly had a greater impact on gay people than it has on others, but the majority of gay people are not affected by AIDS. If they had been breast cancer researchers it would appear a bit narrowly sympathetic and overly compartmentalized to say it would have a "close impact" on women.

A very sad day, not just for the gay community, but for everybody across the world. The people involved in the research of HIV are responsible for saving millions of lives, and those that work in that field for making more awareness and support for the millions affected.

I fear however that the shitty politics of certain countries around the world will likely cloud any justice that is owed to these people.

"A very sad day, not just for the gay community, but for everybody across the world."

Yes. Both the setback to AIDS research and the loss of life ought to be regarded as a tragedy for everyone, regardless of his/her sexual identity, nationality, religion or whatever other labels may attach to him/her..

[Scott]

The gay community has been disproportionately affected by the AIDS epidemic and there was little help or concern in the early days when it was called the 'gay cancer.' So, I make no apology for starting a topic which has a 'close' impact on gay people in the gay forum.

There are more than a few members who will remember the early days of the epidemic. Had there been some attention paid to the disease early on, it might have prevented it from becoming the major pandemic that it is today. But at that time, it was just God's revenge on gays.

[David48]

The gay community has been disproportionately affected by the AIDS epidemic and there was little help or concern in the early days when it was called the 'gay cancer.' So, I make no apology for starting a topic which has a 'close' impact on gay people in the gay forum.

Scott, as you can see from our comments above, you have support from generally from us Straights.

Plus, also ... it's not just a disease that affects just the Gay comunity, though, through the sharing of needles etc, it affects us also, granted, not to the level it does the Gay Community.

The sooner the way it goes the way of Small Pox (wiped from the general population) the better.

I have a life partner, though I do worry for the next generation.

[mrtoad]

I am in agreement with Scott, that people should remember how HIV / AIDS was seen as a Gay Plague, and there own fault for being "sinners" etc.

Thankfully, in general I think most people have moved on in their way of thinking, although sadly there will always be some around.

This is a tragedy for all

[Scott]

Off-topic post deleted.