Renee Rosenow

Almost anytime you hear something attached with President George W. Bush’s name, a negative connotation comes along with it. So when he actually does something noteworthy, I feel compelled to spread the word about it. The news media typically won’t focus on anything positive he does, something I feel negatively affects those who interact with the news media on a daily basis.

Back in July, President Bush signed legislation that removed HIV from its 21-year reign on the United States’ list of diseases “of public health significance.” Being on the list effectively barred anyone infected with the virus that causes AIDS from entering the United States unless they obtained a special waiver. It was a notable thing the president did, but again, not enough coverage was devoted to the event. Now the same could be said for some of the results that have come from his decision to remove the virus from the list.

On Monday, the Agence France-Press reported U.S. immigration officials had begun to set in motion a set of moves that would speed up visa-processing for HIV-positive visitors to the United States. The report also says the Department of Homeland Security will grant U.S. consular offices overseas the authority to grant temporary, non-immigrant visas to HIV-positive applicants who meet “all of the other normal criteria for the granting of a U.S. visa.” Visas issued under the new rules will, according to a Department of Homeland Security statement, “be subject to certain criteria designed to ensure an HIV-positive person’s activities while in the United States do not present a risk to the public health.”

Now it is possible that I am reading too much into the passed legislation in July. And perhaps I am reading too much into the recent decision by U.S. immigration officials and The Department of Homeland Security to make coming to the United Sates easier for those who are HIV-positive. Some could pass it off as a public relations move for the constantly criticized Department of Homeland Security and U.S. immigrations officials. Others, I’m sure, would argue President Bush was trying to add one thing to his short list of accomplishments while in office. I wouldn’t tend to agree or disagree with the two points. The reason for that is it really doesn’t matter.

The legislation by President Bush and the decision made by The Department of Homeland Security and U.S. immigrant officials is a good one no matter what their motivation is. All three represent the United States whether we would like to admit that or not, and their decision to allow people who are HIV-positive in to the United States is a step towards showing that as a nation we are slowly, but surely overcoming our own ignorance, in relation to HIV.

To me it’s clear the original decision to add HIV to the list of diseases was deemed being “of public health significance” was because of the initial fear of the virus. Equally as clear to me is that it was left on the list for 21 years because of the connection it had with homosexuality, African Americans and promiscuity.

This does not mean that I don’t feel HIV is insignificant in relation to public health. As a matter of fact, I think it is clearly one of the more significant viruses in terms of public health. But the connotation that comes along with being on the list is not one that HIV or those who are HIV-positive deserve. HIV does not have the same affect as Ebola, nor do those who are HIV-positive, so why contain both on a list that makes the two viruses and those who have them equal?

The legislation by the president and now the acts of The Department of Homeland Security and U.S. immigration officials seems to indicate, by representing the United States, that as a nation we understand the initial reaction to HIV and those who were HIV-positive was wrong. It shows citizens of the United States realize the original thought that only homosexuals, African Americans and promiscuous citizens could get the virus was, and is, wrong.

This isn’t to say everyone feels this way, because clearly there are still people who think those three types of people are the only ones who can get HIV. As a matter of fact, the majority may feel this way and I just don’t know it.

But I do know that I like my government to represent me as being accepting to all walks of life and cultures and not as someone who is ignorant and believes myths about a virus that were developed 20 or so years ago. President Bush’s passing of the legislation in July, and the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. immigrant officials’ decisions regarding the matter, does just that.

Hansen is a junior print journalism major and editorial editor of The Spectator. “Mmmboppin’ with Scott Hansen” appears every Thursday.