Toxic Blather
Thank you to all who have responded positively and negatively to wisconsinhiv.com. Overwhelmingly, we have received extremely positive feedback, including calls and emails from former board members of AIDS Network who are urging us to “continue the fight”. On the flip side, we have heard from current and former board members and staff of AIDS Network that tell us that this site is “toxic” and that it is nothing but “blather that perpetuates the negativity”. We respect all opinions because this means that there is finally a wider discussion about HIV services in southern Wisconsin.
The decision to make available the documents that chronicle the Department of Health Service’s investigation into the failures of AIDS Network on Wisconsinhiv.com came after much thought and consideration. Our intent remains the same: to bring to a broader audience the information that has been “kept in the closet” for far too long while at the same time not wanting anything we do to come across as being a personal attack on any of the dedicated volunteers or the staff of AIDS Network (past and present). We are focused on educating the larger HIV/AIDS community and those that support the community through their donations of time and money of two simple documented truths:
- The extreme disparity in directly provided services available to those living with HIV/AIDS in the southern region of Wisconsin when compared to the services available in all other areas of Wisconsin;
- The failure of the Case Management Referral model that is employed by AIDS Network.
We have also been asked why we waited until now to come forward with this information. We decided to wait until April 8th to go live with the site because we did not want to do anything that could be construed as trying to undermine AIDS Network’s Red Dinner on April 3rd; especially given the fact that their guest of honor was Governor Jim Doyle.
So we challenge everyone, ourselves included, to stay focused on the issues. 1234 residents living with AIDS in southern Wisconsin deserve no less.
April 10, 2009
