The Jesse Helms HIV/AIDS Bill?

We don't think there are many people who would consider politicians as containing much in the way of a sense of humor or any sense of irony, but in an awesome move of political satire, Republican Senator Libby Dole of North Carolina added an amendment to an AIDS bill now winding its way through the Senate that would name it after recently deceased senator Jesse Helms. The bill would give about $50 billion dollars in funding to fight HIV/AIDS and other diseases around the world and with it, a possible lifting of a travel ban on people with HIV. What makes the amendment such a great bit of political satire (right up there with the New Yorker cover) is that Helms was a long time racist and homophobe who said any number of things against people (queer, straight, black, brown, etc.) with AIDS, and fought any and all funding against it. In fact, it was Helms who created the travel ban on people with HIV. (R.I.P, Helms. If that's at all possible.)

Oh wait...this just in....it's not a bit of satire. Dole is completely serious about what she's doing.

This story makes our head hurt.
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