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Alberta Reappraising AIDS Society |
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| David Crowe, President Phone: +1-403-289-6609 Fax: +1-403-289-6658 Email: David.Crowe@aras.ab.ca Kathleen Newell, Treasurer |
Box 61037, Kensington Postal Outlet
Calgary, Alberta T2N 4S6 Canada |
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| Rethinkers | Quotes | AZT | HAART | HIV Tests | Transmission | Library |
Carl Strygg
September, 2007
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Xtra! published this letter in their print edition, the website includes letters from other AIDS rethinkers (as well as some other dogmatists).
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While I was glad to read Matt Mills’ caution against censorship in scientific and public debate on these issues, I am deeply troubled that the word “denialist” is constantly used to describe people like me (Beating AIDS Denialism, July 19, 2007 issue of XTRA). Why is it that I am labeled a “denialist” simply because I am not convinced that HIV theory explains AIDS yet?
Statements like this amaze me: “AIDS denialists are simply wrong about HIV. The virus does cause AIDS and it does kill.” Did I miss something? Every few years another new mechanism is proposed by which HIV is supposed to cause disease, and a few years later it’s shot down – by HIV researchers themselves – and then another one is proposed in it’s place. If there is denial here it is the denial that HIV theory is just that, an unproven theory.
Frankly, I don’t care how many millions of people chant “HIV causes AIDS” together. Sheer repetition does not somehow make it true. Until the process by which HIV causes a collapse of the immune system is discovered and proven, it remains just one theory. Until then, we would all be wise to encourage multiple approaches in researching the causes of AIDS. Most of the greatest discoveries in science and medicine have happened when individual scientists tried to think outside the box.
In the meantime, if others wish to throw negative, dehumanizing labels like “denialist” around, there is not much I can do. Yet in using such labels, I believe we diminish both ourselves and those we don’t understand.
Carl Strygg
Toronto HEAL Collective
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