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Reader Feedback on "Truth and Consequences"
I have known Anthony Whitfield since 2000. Was and still is one of my dearest & best friends. I had unprotected sex w/him for about 3 years on and off. I am HIV negative. When i heard about the story my family contacted me in tears. I was then living up north, and married. My now ex-husband was and still is in the medical field. I had to tell him, knowing I could have put his career, future and life in danger because of not using protection before knowing my husband. Our divorce had nothing to do w/this situation by the way. All i knew was that the next day i was on my way to Lacey w/family member(s)to the Health Dept. getting my test, assured that i would be positive. How could I not be if what was being "said" was "true"? Yet I couldn't be mad. only @myself for my own responsibility. I had an uncle who passed away from AIDS when i was younger from a partner who cheated, contracted the disease & then gave it to him. So this sort of topic is & has always been very serious and close to me. Anthony contracted the infection from a woman by the name of "Linda", which was never allowed in court. Also a witness by the name of "amber t." has sent him a letter apolagizing for her "statement", saying the prosecuters told her to say that. If i remember correctly, she had other legal issues @ the time. He did not have it in Oaklahoma. He did not have it as early as they were trying to say here. And when he found out, other than his wife, he stopped being sexually active with others. There was so much evidence that was not taken into consideration, because the judge simply would not allow it. Kind of makes you wonder. I truly feel so bad for the unfortunate ones, because i do know the seriousness and effects of this disease, but what happened to him was not justice, it was an example made out of him, out of convenience & an easy target. Eventually the whole truth will be told. I suppose thats why they say" don't believe everything you read or hear". He does not deserve nor will spend the rest of his life in prison!
--AL
09/20 |
up until the 1900's sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis caused death. what was the legal response in the past to a person infecting another with syphillis ( prior to penicillin)?
--sag
01/26 |
if criminal punishment is necessary, the punishment(s) for both the negative and positive sex partner should be the exact same. how is it fair ( in the absence of lying or rape) to blame one party for inflicting harm on another, while allowing the other party to inflict harm on himself. the negative party obviously has more to lose, so if he engages in reckless behavior, why shouldn't he be punished along with the positive person (who may well assume his partner either is positive or doesn't care about protecting himself)? it makes no sense to me that one can be allowed to engage in reckless sexual behavior as long as one is negative.
--sag
01/26 |
not an easy issue. it seems clear that hiv positive folk who have unprotected sex without informing their partner of their condition should be treated as severely as a drunk driver, but not as severely as a full on attempted murderer. undoubtedly decades old aids fear has exagerrated the punishment beyond reason; that said, i think that guy is delusional if he thinks all responsibility lies with his partners.
--ted
01/25 |
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