The day Magic Johnson changed the world

On a November day, 15 years ago, Earvin “Magic” Johnson announced to the world that he was the latest victim of what had been called GRIDS virus or what we now call HIV. Once thought to be a disease solely afflicting homosexual men, Johnson’s announcement struck fear into a society that once thought that the heterosexual male, transfusion recipient, and others that came in contact with bodily fluids were safe from such a disease. Today, Johnson has no signs of the disease in his system due to advancements in AIDS therapy and proper nutrition, but the effect of his announcement has done little to stop the proliferation of the disease nationally and worldwide.

•What does Magic Johnson’s announcement and the whole HIV/AIDS epidemic mean to you?
•Do you think people take the knowledge we gain about epidemics like AIDS and how they spread for granted?
•Why are black females the fastest growing population to be infected with the disease?
•Should we help other countries to stop the spread of AIDS in their homelands?
•Are Americans taking all the necessary precautions to prevent getting this disease?
•Where do you think AIDS came from?