Thread: Howard: No HIV-positive immigrants

MELBOURNE, Australia - Prime Minister John Howard said Friday that people with HIV should not be allowed to migrate to Australia, and that the government was investigating whether it could tighten existing restrictions.

The comments triggered anger among HIV- AIDS workers, who accused Howard of xenophobia and of blaming sufferers for their illness.

Asked in a radio interview whether people with the virus that causes AIDS should be allowed into Australia as migrants or refugees, Howard said he would like to take "more counsel" on the issue, but added, "My initial reaction is no."

He said that there may be "humanitarian considerations" in certain cases.

"I think we should have the most stringent possible conditions in relation to that nationwide, and I know the health minister is concerned about that and is examining ways of tightening things up," Howard said.

Howard was asked about the issue during a visit to Melbourne, the capital of Victoria state, where the state health minister said this week that 70 of the 334 new HIV infection cases reported in Victoria in 2006 were among immigrants who had arrived in the country with the virus.

Don Baxter of the nongovernment group the Australian Federation of AIDS Organizations said HIV tests were already among health checks prospective immigrants were given, and most HIV-positive applicants were rejected on the grounds that they could pose an unfair burden on the public health system.

"It's very tight already," Baxter told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.

Chris Lemoh, an infectious disease specialist who is researching HIV-AIDS among African immigrants in Victoria, said excluding people with HIV should be condemned.

"It's a hysterical overreaction, it mixes racism with a phobia about infectious disease," he said. "To not allow people to come on the basis of any health condition is immoral, it's unethical and it's impractical to enforce."

Many countries, including the United States, impose restrictions on immigration and visa approvals for people with HIV, though there are often exceptions in special cases.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070413/ap_ ... immigrants

Now if we could get our border secured we could do simple little things like stopping those with AIDS, or bombs or drugs.

Why is it, that someone who believes in the right thing is a racist? I don't see any problem with restricting those who carry infectious deadly deseases. I don't care what color they are! And as far as I can see, no one is blaming these poor souls who are ill, but I don't want to have to pay for their health care, and the fact that they can spread the desease. It only increases the risks for those who aren't ill with it.

I actually read an article on the number of immigrants that have aids coming into the states.


http://www.csuchico.edu/cjhp/4/3/034-041-johansen.pdf
(Our tax dollars at work)


http://www.cis.org/articles/2002/back1302.html

If you were found sick at Ellis Island, you were turned back.

There is nothing racist about a public health threat!

There is nothing racist about a public health threat!

That is exactly right. Unfortunatey that is something that some people don't understand. It has absolutely nothing to do with race. It seems the racists are the ones that play the race card.

Originally Posted by CCUSA

If you were found sick at Ellis Island, you were turned back.

There is nothing racist about a public health threat!

and that was national security as it should be today at all borders.

"It's a hysterical overreaction, it mixes racism with a phobia about infectious disease," he said. "To not allow people to come on the basis of any health condition is immoral, it's unethical and it's impractical to enforce."

Well at least we know we are not the only country with people that throw the race card out there no matter how important the issue, people like this just keeps compounding one problem on top of another by refusing to face facts or reality.

Also at least Australians are talking about it, here officals refuse to even think about that subject, do polititcans ever mention how important health checks are, no they just make up bills that let the head of the family step out step in and nobody needs to worry about disease or health checks. Just once, I wish they would use that stupid brain and do something right.