Do the right thing

Charlie Sheen, a famous actor, just revealed he’s HIV positive. Like almost everyone I know, I’ve lost many relatives and friends to Aids and so I feel bad that this man not only found out that he has it but was forced to share his diagnosis with the world. That said, I know I’m not the only one who believes Charlie Sheen brought this on himself. He himself admitted to having unprotected sex with multiple women including prostitutes and porn stars. During several of those encounters, he was either drunk or high on drugs. He of all people must therefore not be surprised by the outcome. Actions have consequences as the saying goes. The sad part is that he continued to sleep around even after his doctor notified him about his status. I think the only reason he opened up about his status was because tabloids were threatening to expose him. He has known for about four years and even paid up to $10 million in blackmail, which is understandable since he has a name and career to protect. It’s continuing to have unprotected sex with unsuspecting females that bothers me. I watched part of the interview and he said two of the women are being taken care of by his doctor and I remember thinking to myself, “ Well that is not good enough.” You don’t withhold such vital information from someone and assume that taking care of their medical bills somehow makes it okay. It is not right and Sheen shouldn’t be surprised if those women file charges. He infected them, deliberately or otherwise. I know I’m being judgmental and I know HIV/Aids is now a manageable condition thanks to antiretrovirals and all but personally, I will always look at it as a death sentence. None of us can vouch for our safety, as your partner can pass it on to you or it could be a blood transfusion or some other medical procedure. Whichever way you contract it, there’s always that disconcerting feeling that you might die anytime. Life just wouldn’t be the same and that is why I find it hard to imagine that someone would continue to party, drink and sleep around knowing they were sick. I’m not suggesting that those diagnosed with the virus sink into depression and give up on life but rather adjust their lives and make some common sense decisions that not only benefit them but ensure they don’t put others at risk. At one point, Charlie Sheen was paid up to $1.8 million per episode for the popular hit show Two and a Half Men and it’s a shame that he didn’t put that money to better use, instead spending it all on booze, drugs and women. It is indeed true. The more money we have, the more problems we see. I hope this serves as a wake-up call for all the rich folks out there. If you’re lucky enough not to have money issues, spend your cash wisely. I know that’s probably easier said than done but it’s not like we haven’t seen rich people who still keep cool heads. Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates…

Lifestyle

Do the right thing