Spread Awareness, Not Prejudice

AIDS is arguably the most stigmatised disease in the human history. This is possibly why a country as rich and developed as Singapore is so reluctant to support its HIV-positive patients.

It is pretty amazing to know how many people have misconceptions about HIV/AIDS. In fact, with such advancement in the modern educational system, many people are still not as willing to learn about the disease, nevertheless to admit how wrong they can become. You have to know the right information and education before coming into any prejudgements over anything that could affect the lives of another person. If you are in their shoes, how would you think you will feel when people look at you like that?

The conference is truly an eye opener for me. It is really helpful.

Fighting for the rights for the AIDS patients is not something that can be done over a short period of time. And it is not an individual effort that can manage. Everyone has to come together, and be willing to stand up and speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Will this ever be successful?

Pondering upon this question, it reminded me of someone -- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Quoting from one of his speeches:

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be
made low, the rough places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood."

His legacy has lived on.

His dream has come true.

Today, we have our first African American President of the United States.

Having the chance to come close to them this year as a volunteer, I can finally feel how precious life can be when death can be so close to you. I can understand what discrimination can really mean besides its definition in the dictionary.

It can be frustrating to see what prejudice is being done on them. Yet, it is truly this positive anger inside us that motivate us to do what we can do best for them.