That stinks, Esprix. It also sounds like trolling or stalking to me. I understand why that would make you (et al.) upset.
Surely, though, we can draw a distinction between those idiots and the people who occasionally throw out a “be careful” message in a thread that is specifically talking about sexual contact?
Scary part was, Sauron, it wasn’t just one person - anyone who saw scott’s name would just blithely wander in with their admonitions. After a while it became very arrogant and annoying.
And of course we make the distinction, but when you have a run on them in every semi-gay-related thread on the board…
Esprix
I guess that’s where I was getting lost re: the hostility – I only saw the repercussions in a couple of threads that were specifically addressing gay sex. I didn’t see any harm in a well-meaning admonition to be careful. Obviously there’s a lot of back-history I wasn’t aware of.
Still, though, I think a little more civility is in order when dealing with a “Please be careful” post (as opposed to the drive-by “AIDS Kills!”).
Well, for myself I can say I only got involved in this whole debate when unsafe (to me, granted) sexual practices were mentioned so I can’t speak to the earlier threads. Upon review, some of the earlier warnings were out of line as was the thread where I got whooshed by a joke of Esprix’s. For the record, if I come across a thread where someone is practicing unhealthy–again, to me–sex I’m more than likely going to caution them regardless of their sexual orientation. I’m an equal opportunity irritator… 
One point that it might be worthwhile to think about is a discussion of safe sex practices, hetero- and homo-, for precisely those lurkers. And you guys (common gender) who are secure in your sexuality, whatever it be, and willing to talk about it, are precisely the people whom the 15-year-old curious about what all the shouting is about needs to hear.
Thank god PBS is here to do all of our reminding for us!
From now on, whenever you feel the need to straighten someone out about safe-sex, point them to the new HIV positive muppet, who will knowlegably preach about the dangers of analingus, sharing needles, and casual sex.
Uh, Ace, you do know that that muppet is only in the South African version of Sesame Street, and its intent is to reduce prejudice against people living with HIV, right?
Personally, I was hoping for a U.S. safe-sex fraggle. Gotta learn them kids early.
I note that there’s still no name. Suggestions?
Raincoat the monster?
Fuck you, you flaming jackass.
Esprix
Esprix – whah?
You do know that they’re all monsters, right? Whatever you’re on about, it’s not there, so chill, would ya?
Well, here is someone in need of safe-sex education.
First: Teaching children not to treat HIV-positive people as pariahs is NOT the same as preaching “about the dangers of analingus, sharing needles, and casual sex.” God, are you stupid.
Second: Analingus is actually a low-risk activity in re: HIV transmission, but it is extremely high-risk for fecal-borne diseases, like amebiasis, giardia, hepatitis, and shigella, just to name a few, so it’s definitely not a first-date activity.
Third: While in the U.S. man-to-man transmission accounts for the largest percentage of AIDS cases to date, in the rest of the world, it’s primarily a heterosexually transmitted disease. It is precisely ignorant, hateful attitudes like AceoSpades’ that have helped prevent people in impoverished nations from traditional cultures from being tested and receiving treatment. HIV is a virus, a bit of RNA that invades healthy cells to make copies of itself, it is not a moral judgement on its victims.
There is an excellent article in the current Economist on the necessity of improving condom distribution and increasing local health care expenditures in Third World countries.
These measures are especially necessary as there’s no cure in sight.
Gobear, I know your reading skills aren’t this poor. Where in my post did I say I adress gender? I didn’t.
Again, the point of the humorous jibe was twain: Indeed, as was originally stated by me and many other posters, casual sex is risky – unprotected casual sex is riskier, and a little concern from people you know won’t kill you. The OP study showed that notwithstanding the protestations from the gay community, there are a lot of gays who don’t get it. It’s not hatred to want to see my gay friends around for as long as possible, eh?
Secondly, as pointed out in the thread that addresses the HIV+ muppet, it’s a valid point to wonder about the use of resources to combat a stigma, which is fine in and of itself, versus combating the attitudes that allow HIV to spread to, IIRC 30% of certain populations in Africa. Precisely the opposite of this bullshit motive your gave me "is precisely ignorant, hateful attitudes like AceoSpades’ preventing people in impoverished nations from traditional cultures from being tested and receiving treatment.’
I see – so the people who make fun of the puppet – they go around preventing people from using condoms? What utter fantastical bullshit. Do I cause terrorism? Sciatica? This is the lowest, lowest form of rhetorical shit that I’ve seen from you. And I expect better.
Perhaps my two points didn’t register? But I fail to see what, if anything, is hateful or ignorant. The more likely scenario is that these are purposefully humourless responses. Lighten up a little?
As for analingus. My information, as second hand as it is, has analingus to be a higher risk than cunnilingus. Carry around dental dams, do we?
http://www.aegis.com/pubs/bala/1992/BA920214.html
http://www.puckerup.com/anal_advisor/anal12d.html
Finally, the hurt feelings are a overblown. Someone who really didn’t give two shits about gays, and I can remember a few who posted here, since banned, would be all for the gay populace doing as much risky behavior as possible, right? If I were you, I’d be on the lookout for anyone encouraging unprotected analingus.
P.S. Esprix – I’m flaming? that’s rich – Pipe down, you flaming slutty cocksmoker! :eek:
Worst. Law firm. Ever.
Ace. fuck you and you bullshit posturing.
First
I never said you addressed gender; I implied you addressed sexual orientation, since that has been the topic at hand in HIV-related threads. Tend to your own reading comprehension, Poindexter.
You are utterly full of crap. Let me repeat: you wrote
That pretty much cancels out any putative concern you may profess for people suffering from HIV. The point of the HIV+ Muppet, which may be not all that useful in a land where maby people lack both televisions and the electricity to power them, is to teach tolerance and empathy for other children who have the disease or who were orphaned by it.
Well, one of the problems that has caused transmission of the disease is the deep stigma attached to it. People with AIDS are shunned and ostracized. Perhaps adding this new character to the South African Sesame Street might help to open up dialogue.
Regarding your other point: Yes, casual sex can be risky, and it is better to know your partner’s status. But, ultimately, it is up to each person to determine his or her risk level and to take appropriate measures. But that has little to do with your comment about a TV puppet teaching kids about analingus; that’s horrible.
Regarding your “cites”: The first sentence of your fist cite reads
Your second cite, in reference to anal, says
That’s fucking, not the same thing as rimming, you illiterate asshole.
Wow - “fucking”,“rimming” and “asshole” in the same sentence. Sounds like grounds for a safe sex lecture. 
::D&R::
Dear moron,
the second cite says (further down):
Please don’t be so full of shit, Gobear; it makes it hard to read your posts.
Secondly, being for the goal of HIV prevention has what-fuck-all to do with that moronic claptrap of an HIV fucking positive fucking puppet – who the fuck is that going to reach, you absolute twit? What percentage of the at-risk-of-transmission and intolerant populace is a fucking puppet on sesame street reaching?!
Zero fucking percent, asswipe. How 'bout we airdrop some condoms and give free clinics to the indigent. How 'bout that?
Yes, we’re really opening up the fucking debate arent’ we? A mother-fucking hand puppet – how 'bout we take our hand out of the puppet that we’re masturbating in pretense of fixing a goddamn thing, and we get back involved in international intrevention – Jackanape. Yeah, I read the economist article, too – and I didn’t see “PROMULGATE PUPPETS” anywhere in the top ten recommendations.
Well the puppet is certainly going to educate pre-schoolers about how to handle blood spills, which in a population with such a high rate of infection is the most likely situation in which a PRE-SCHOOLER will find themselves at risk of contracting or transmitting HIV.
No-one here is suggesting that other programmes (such as free condoms and free clinics) are NOT needed. No-one here is suggesting that education programmes for older children (in particular those approaching puberty) are not needed. No-one here has suggested that the muppet is designed to address anything other than one very small part of the HIV issue in Africa.
We do not - in Western countries - deliver the exact same HIV education programmes to all age groups and all target groups within society; we deliberately design programmes with the target group in mind.
You might recall many years ago Start Wars characters being used to promote immunisation (against measles IIRC) - R2D2 isn’t connected inherently with measles, nonetheless the campaign was successful in raising immunisation rates partly because children reminded their parents of the importance of immunisation; just as children who learn at an early age how to deal with blood spills will not only be able to protect themselves, they will share that information with others.
Ace, if you meant to be funny, you missed by about five thousand miles. But now since you seem to be digging yourself in deeper in other ways, I’ll just watch the fun.
Esprix
My…
checking watch to see how quickly this troll is banned