I got involved in a "discussion" about AIDS the other day on an online forum. On this forum I was instructed by one irate commenter to "apologise to South Africa" for my stance on AIDS, ie. that the HI virus causes the immuno-deficiency syndrome that we call AIDS.
Note to self: never engage in a "debate" (the fact that there needs to be one breaks my heart) about AIDS ever again. If a person believes that the HI virus has not been isolated and does not cause AIDS, then nothing you say will change their mind.
I do not feel the need to apologise to South Africa for my beliefs about AIDS, but I did start to think of all the naughty things that I did whilst on her soil that may be worthy of apology.
Here is my confessional:
Note to self: never engage in a "debate" (the fact that there needs to be one breaks my heart) about AIDS ever again. If a person believes that the HI virus has not been isolated and does not cause AIDS, then nothing you say will change their mind.
I do not feel the need to apologise to South Africa for my beliefs about AIDS, but I did start to think of all the naughty things that I did whilst on her soil that may be worthy of apology.
Here is my confessional:
- I lied to my parents more than once. Times a billion. It was for their own good.
- At age 6 I instigated a breakout from school. We hid in the bathrooms and then made a run for it. We got caught in the playground but made up cunning lies and avoided punishment. Where were we running to? I have vague memories of a lady in a caravan who we were going to ask for shelter. Oops, this actually didn't happen in South Africa. And this is the naughtiest thing I ever did. Sorry Botswana.
- I was a late starter in swearing, but definitely managed to tell my parents to fuck off a few times.
- I beat up my siblings. They were smaller and weaker than me. What do you expect? When they grew bigger than me I was a good girl and stopped.
- I imbibed alcohol when below the legal age limit. But I merely drank cider or Smirnoff Ice and never got really smashed till University so I don't think this even counts.
- I have jaywalked. Many times. Daredevil me.
- I once accidentally nearly stole a ruler. I walked out of a shop without realising I was still holding it. But I ran back in as soon as I realised.
- I had sex before marriage, therebye letting someone take a bite out of my apple. But I have been with the same guy ever since, so he has all of my apple. Technically this doesn't count either.
- I may hypothetically have smoked a vaguely illegal herb a few times. But don't worry, I never got high. I just went faint. I had the wrong lungs. Allegedly.
- I wore my school jersey outside of school grounds. Apparently this was as bad as murder. I forget why.
*
Dear South Africa,
I am sorry I was such a goody two shoes. I am sorry that in high school I never snuck out of the house and never partied all night and always did all my homework and never bunked school. I am sorry I never puked in your bushes, or dived into your bushes or did naughty things with boys in your bushes. I should have kicked up more of a storm and had more of a jol whilst on your soil.
Some day I will make up for it ;)
16 comments:
Good for you Po! Some people are unbelievably pig headed! Sounds like you will have to plan the party of your lifetime back on home land!
heehee...I like this post - Theres planty to apologise for, but never your opinion :)
you're an angel, seriously.
Ha ha, I accept...
HIV is the active body virus that attachs to (and attacks) your white blood cells (CD4)
Once you start showing clinically noticable signs and syntoms you have AIDS. So therefore, HIV and AIDS are the same thing. AIDS is the clinical 'active' syndrome of the virus.
HIV AIDS, in fact cause's TB and other diseases to develop in the body and eventually pneumonia, which is usually the cause of death.
For a doctors mouth...can throw this back at your forum dude Po. :)
No need to apologise for anything!
dt: sounds like a good idea!
Being brazen: no plans to apologise for that!
prixie: really? I have done some other bad stuff but this has to be censored, right?
sunrise: you gonna write a confessional too? I hope your list is more interesting than mine!
ches: You can tell that stuff to people but if they dont wanna hear it, they wont! we are all so stubborn right?
All together now...
People are idiots.
I will say it again - people are idiots.
And I personally think it's way cooler to not have on a mission to try and be cool, then to be like the masses and do the standard rebellious teenager thing. At least you have been enough of a rebel to not feel like you had to prove anything.
rox: actually I don't regret being a goody two shoes too much cos I wasn't cut out to be a party animal!
Another great post! I was also mostly a goody too shoes. And proud of it!
kitty cat, I am sure you weren't as goody goody as me :)
I am proud of it now, but when I was younger I was a wannabe for a while.
Well said Ches - most people accept that the HIV virus can lead to AIDS... it's a medical fact. Rather than being irate though, perhaps you should weep for that part of South Africa that still tries to pretend that HIV and AIDS have nothing to do with each other and that until recently had a Health Minister who told people that they could cure AIDS with beetroots and garlic...
ladyfi: the reason I got involved in the discussion in the first place is that I thought all the knowledge I have of HIV from university would be useful in convincing people, because it saddens me so much that people have died because of this misunderstanding.
But people read see and hear only what they want to most of the time.
you're a JAYWALKER?! Oh Noes! ;)
this post made me lol
Steven: oh yes, I have done the naughty deed many times :)
Fantastic post!!! you are so funny :o)
No apologies for anyone!
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