May’s International Carnival of Pozitivities is up at dropdeadhappy. Two blog posts stand out - “Myths and misconceptions about HIV and AIDS” by The AIDS Pandemic in which he looks at some of the “old” myths and some more contemporary myths such as HIV is a “black disease” or “two positive people do not need to use condoms” and then all the misconceptions around cure and prevention.

Myths and misconceptions about HIV and AIDS have been around since the very beginning of the pandemic. The first myths stemmed largely from the lack of information on this relatively new disease. ……..These myths have emerged despite the fact that there is now more accurate information on HIV. These new myths also create problems with prevention as people unknowingly put themselves at risk to contract the virus.

The Black Aids Institute post, Adhering to HAART Does Not Remove Risk of Passing on Disease is related to prevention and cure and the kind of news that ends up creating myths and misconceptions.

An article recently published by Switzerland’s Federal Commission for HIV/AIDS states that HIV-positive individuals on effective antiretroviral therapy are not at risk for transmitting HIV to their sexual partners under certain circumstances.

What I fail to understand and find highly irresponsible is why the Swiss AIDS Commission published this since they themselves acknowledge there is no scientific data to support the statement.

The East African reports that lawyers from East Africa and the SADC are to sue China over the arms shipment to Zimbabwe. The lawyers are also planning to “engage the African Union and United Nations into actively addressing the situation”. Whilst African leaders tip toe around Mugabe or worse pander to his madness and violence against his people, African Civil Society has chosen to actively support the people of Zimbabwe in their struggle.

Le Monde diplomatique comments on the inequalities in South Africa highlighted by the preparations for the 2010 World Cup.

South Africa will host the World Cup in 2010 so construction – and corruption – is booming. But almost none of the building or the money can be accessed by the poor who live in shantytowns without proper water, sanitation or electricity.

Speaking of football, the season has ended and once again I havent gotten to see one single live game - next season looks promising though as I have been offered one ticket for a game of my choice (other than the big 4 and the derby game). The best footy blog? The Arseblog for your daily dose of gunner news and which for some strange reason is to become part of Ole Ole from this month. Flamini is off - good riddance, they never learn that the grass for ex-Arsenal players is never ever greener on the other side. Name one ex player that has achieved anything significant after leaving Highbury unless of course it’s the money!

Once again Spanish sports fans have lived up to their nasty reputation of being a bunch of racist imbeciles. This time its not football but Formula 1. Yesterday fans blacked up their faces and donned black wigs with the words “hamilton’s family” written on their white t-shirts.

According to the reports in the Independent and Guardian the Spanish motor racing authorities have “condemned the racist taunts” against Hamilton. Condemning their actions is easy, actually doing something practical and meaningful is worth a thousand words of condemnation. Why were the racists not physically removed, banned from ever attending another racing event and even arrested for disturbing the peace since the Spanish do not have any laws against inciting racial hatred. The same goes for racism in Spanish football. We only ever get to hear about the high profile cases such as in the 2004 international game with England and the Spanish national coach who described Thierry Henry as that “black shit“. He was fined a measly 3,000 euros (a day’s salary), and Real Zaragossa were fined 9,000 euros when their fans racially abused Samuel E’to of Barcelona. These three incidents do not in any way reflect the real level of racism in Spanish football and the wider Spanish society. The F1 authorities must ban Spain from holding the two Grand Prix’s due to take place in Barcelona and Valencia then maybe the fans will think twice before hurling racist abuse from the terraces whether in F1 or football or any other sporting event.

Tags:

Formula 1
Lewis Hamilton
Motor Racing
Spain
Barcelona
Spanish Football
Fernando Alonso 1

The final whistle blows, a united South Africa burst into a deafening mindless celebration. Vuvuzelas scream, cars hoot and spin, blacks and whites exchange heart felt hugs in suburban sport bars. Townships rupture into dance and song. Die Bokke have done it again – We are the World champions second time in 12 years! The Sowetan scribe Andrew Molefe says it better, “Colour didn’t matter. We hugged; we cried and kissed across the colour line. Our collective blood was green”.

Just how important this victory is for the country was signified by the tears of pride jutting from the eyes Frediricks/Pieteresen one of the two black players as he sang the national anthem. Who would have though that Rugby would unite a sad country? A country terrorised by crime, ravaged by HIV/Aids, and battered by poverty of its black citizens? When our President was hoisted high by the Bokke, lifted the cup as a symbol our collective victory many throats found lumps forming even against their owners desires, the incredible miracles of our beloved South Africa! Indeed green blood coursed through our collective blood vessels.

Well, take another look at the above picture, carefully, critically and you would see that actually this victory was victory against transformation of South Africa and sad admission that we have no project of change to speak about. This was victory for the acceptance as normal our abnormal society. If you bothered to look with care you would have also noticed the reluctant handshakes our president received, and that actually he was hoisted by black bodies. This was victory against the quota system and representatively. A victory for colour blindness. In short, it was victory for white supremacy in this black Country of ours.

The national rugby team in its compositions and victories is a perfect metaphor for our country and the place of blacks in it. We cheer for our defeat from the touchlines. Imagine if you knew nothing about SA and watched the world cup on TV, you would be forgiven for thinking that actually we are a white country which has the accident of having a smiling black president.

South Africa is a white country populated a by an impotent invisible black majority. I wonder what other African countries think about us? And the black Diaspora? What do they think about it? Since 1994, our Rugby team could only produce two black players for the national team. Incredible!

But there is also another element in the picture which can be now be more clearly seen, ours is a country which thrives on superficiality and a devastating lack of a perspective which is centred on the valorisation and well being of blacks. Blacks in this country want to celebrates their “own goals”, to borrow from a sporting metaphor. We are perhaps one of the few peoples on earth who believe we can derive freedom from placating those who stubbornly refuse to give up any of their ill begotten privileges and power. Are we blacks not asking for the contempt of whites, when we fail to exercise the massive political power we currently wield to change things around? But more importantly are we doing posterity a favour?
[Read more…]

Former NBA player, John Amaechi has come out of the closet as a gay man.

Amaechi played for five seasons in the position of center for four teams, including a brief stint with the New York Knicks.

Amaechi has written a book about his life called Man In The Middle. It’s due to be released on February 14.

John Amaechi was born in the UK and has a Nigerian Father and a white mother.

Congratulations to John. It takes courage to come out of the closet, especially if you are a celebrity and a macho sports figure.

Sports Illustrated; John Amaechi

Tags: John Amaechi

An interview with Phumla Masuku manager of the Chosen Few lesbian soccer team based in Soweto is up at the African Women’s Blog - she discusses sport as a tool for empowerment of women and activism.

Republic of T (Black. Gay. Father. Vegetarian. Buddhist. Liberal) and an excellent blog is one of the nominees for the 2006 Weblog Awards in the LGBT section - he gets my vote

Tags: LGBT; Sport; South Africa; Weblog Awards