AIDS
...isease. Most people believe that the willful transmission of AIDS to others it virtually murder. I have found the opinions of Governor Cuomo and former President Ronald Reagan. On June 1, 1987, Cuomo revealed that state lawmakers would consider making the transmission of AIDS a crime. He was quoted at the time as saying: "If you know you have AIDS and you pass it on to someone who is not aware, that should be regarded as a very serious offense. I'm not talking about sins and morality; I'm talking about a sin against the community, a crime. We should look into that." However, nothing was proposed at the time. Former President Ronald Reagan called for "routine" AIDS testing of prisoners, marriage license applicants, immigrants, and possibly some hospital patients. His purpose was only to identify carriers of the disease; no comment concerning the criminalization of the transmission of AIDS was made There are not many reasons for the criminalization of knowingly transmitting AIDS. However, they are very convincing arguments. The first and one of the most convincing arguments is because it will help stop the PROPOGATION of the virus. Ideally, if people know that it is a crime to transmit the virus, then they will not. The only way that AIDS will remain an epidemic is if it is continually spread. This is because those with AIDS will in most cases die rather quickly of an AIDS related disease. If they do not spread it, then the number of people with the virus will decline steadily without fail. Another reason is that someone who is intentionally transmitting the disease is doing it for their own satisfaction and/or to hurt others. Such is the case with a drug pusher. Many magazine articles have made reference to the analogy "a drug pusher is the same as an AIDS pusher." Their argument is that if drug pushers are treated as if they commit criminal acts, then so should the supposed AIDS pushers. The Constitutional argument involoved is also a moral one. By transmitting the virus willingly one is seizing on others' rights to life and happiness. It is also seen as wrong by the public. In effect, it is murder in the second or third degree. If it is done intentionally, it is murder in the first degree. Obviously this should be illegal and those who break the proposed laws should be prosecuted as if they committed a crime. Another reason to criminalize the transmission of AIDS is because the money from fines incurred may be put towards research and development of cures, as well as education and prevention programs. This will help stop the problem and also speed up the process of finding a cure or immunization for AIDS. There are many more reasons against the criminalization of willingly transmitting AIDS to others. However, these are based not on morals but on facts and practicality. Criminalizing AIDS would divert millions of dollars to legal fees that could be better spent on AIDS programs such as prevention, education, and research and development in terms of finding a cure. "Criminalization is a short cut taken when not enough energy is given to prevention." Instead of helping erradicate the epidemic, criminalization would instill more fear among the people living with HIV. "It would create a witch hunt atmosphere," stated William Ramir‚z, an attorney for a HIV positive client. Criminalizing AIDS transmission would open doors for people to knowingly accuse others they know that have it just to get rid of them. The law would also be practically impossible to enforce. In some cases, intent would have to be proven. However, it is usually impossible to prove intent since it is not possible to go "ins...