Stephen Harper's Dirty Little Secret

I came upon this moving memorial right across the street from where the International Aids Conference is taking place.

Each little piece of cloth flapping in the wind carries a small message or drawing. As beautiful and as fragile as the lives that are being lost to AIDS each day because of poverty, ignorance, bigotry, and indifference.

It's a great Conference. I'm proud Canada is hosting it. Which makes Stephen Harper's decision to boycott it even more disgraceful and  disgusting.

But then he has a dirty little secret he'd rather Canadians not know about: he is an ideological fanatic who thinks AIDS is a matter of morality. And wants to send a message to his religious wingnut base. Give me a majority and I'll give you EVERYTHING.

Just across the street from the AIDS conference I came across an exhibit of AIDS quilts from all around the world. I've never seen an AIDS quilt before, so I was moved by those gentle memorials to life and loss.

There were so many impressive ones like a giant one from Down Under with little people and animals on it and the slogan "Australia we all belong."

Or this one.














But these two humbler ones from Canada were good too....
















Je me Souviens. I remember.

How young they were when they died.

For people like Harper, and other religious fanatics, people like Yves, Patrick and Bertrand aren't really human.

They thinks that gay people can choose who they are. That's it's just about sex. When of course, it's all about love.

I have to believe with all my heart that the war against AIDS will one day be won.

Just like I have to believe that we will win our battle against Harper and his theocon thugs who are trying to destroy our beautiful Canadian values. And shaming us in the eyes of the world.

For Yves, and Patrick and Bertrand and all the millions and millions of human beings who died of AIDS.

And all those who continue to live with it.

The sooner we win that battle.

The sooner we'll win the war....