Cutting off Your Nose

To Spite Your Face

Published on February 1, 2008 By Dr Guy In Current Events

In what can only be described of another example of political correctness gone stupid (as if the movement itself was not example enough of that), San Jose State University has banned all blood drives. Is the why even important? (Because the FDA prohibits gay people from donating.)

Now personally I think the ban is stupid. And should they want to demonstrate against it, write letters to congressmen/women or call the clowns who make the rules boobs, I will be on the front lines with them. It is stupid! Where I work there are about 900 people, and each blood drive garners about 40 pints. Less than 5%. Automatically disallowing any segment of the population from giving is stupid as not enough can or will give. But that is beside the point.

Barring donations is akin to starving yourself because you don't like milk! These donations go to anonymous donors who may be gay, black, white, chartreuse or green. The recipients only have one thing in common. A need for blood to live. And these jerks at SJSU are denying these innocent people that gift. Denying them perhaps a chance to live. Because of a stupid idiot that thinks by denying the supply of blood they are going to affect some faceless bureaucrats in Washington.

What is even more saddening perhaps are the supposed "intelligent" students who support the idiocy. "Yea, he is standing on principal!". What principal? The Red Cross and other Blood collecting agencies are not making the rules (and indeed are trying to get them changed). The victims in need of the blood are not making the rules. The only people making the rules are those that are really unaffected by the donations. The idiots running the university, and the idiots in Washington. But none of those (hopefully) will ever suffer due to their own stupidity. But many innocents may.

Standing on principal is fine, if you are standing against the right people. Cutting off your nose because you do not like your nose job, however, is just stupid. But given the climate in this country today, I wonder how many have even enough brains to figure out just how stupid they are being. They may claim to be standing on principal, but in reality they are just mean, spiteful, hateful idiots. Who are hurting a lot of innocent people through their stupidity.

Comments (Page 2)

dynamaso

on Feb 06, 2008

Cikomyr,

I know that in Quebec, they already do that. Why wouldn't be done in the U.S.?

It makes far more sense to me than giving conservation Christians another excuse to spread their intolerant drivel.

In Australia, there are conditions for giving blood too. But being gay is NOT one of them, thankfully.

Dr Guy

on Feb 06, 2008

not to forget people like KFC who continue to propagate stupidities and ignorance about some people's birthbeing on the guise of "free speech"

I dont see the connection, or even understand that one.

Dr Guy

on Feb 06, 2008

Surely the simple in this case would be for the Red Cross to set up donation facilities outside the University itself and then advertise so those who would like to donate still can. Or simply that all blood donated, regardless, be tested before being made available for use. Setting limitations is always going to put someone's nose out of joint.

The first is difficult due to the size of the campus (on many major universities), but I am sure they will try. Then there is the advertising for it - banned - and how many college students do you know that actually go out of their way to learn about events? Oh sure some do, but most, if you do not put it in their face, it does not exist (boy do I know that one!

)

The second is required. When giving any blood, they take 4 (or 5, I don't look so cannot remember) test tubes full of blood that will be used for one purpose only - testing. Multiple tests. Any of them come back hot, and the bag is disposed of. And there are false positives (for more than just AIDS). So not every pint is used that is donated. That is sad, but understandable. Better to be safe than sorry.

The whole bug-aboo with AIDS is that in the 80s (and most of the 90s), you could be infected, and not test positive for it for 6 months (with the HIV actually). More modern testing has dropped that back to weeks and even days. But during the time when the virus lay dormant and undetectable, many were infected by transfusions. So the FDA instead of addressing the problem with a scalpel, took a sickle to it.

Dr Guy

on Feb 06, 2008

I know that in Quebec, they already do that. Why wouldn't be done in the U.S.?

It is. But as stated, the old tests were not at all effective if the infection was less than 6 months old. Newer ones are much better, but the rules still date from when the tests were not as good.

Dr Guy

on Feb 06, 2008

In Australia, there are conditions for giving blood too. But being gay is NOT one of them, thankfully.

America does not always lead in all areas, and this is one I do hope they will soon follow.

Dr Guy

on Feb 06, 2008

Reply By: asaxygirl

Thanks for the low down on the screening side. Some of it I did not know about. Especially the Oxygent and Hemopure. I hope those go well. I can understand the aversion to tainted blood. There have been enough horror stories of people infected with it. It will always be a risk as you point out (until a fool proof method can be used). And quite simply, homosexuals can still lie (and if they are not positive, no one can tell the difference). So banning the life style is better than banning a group. Some homosexuals will always be promiscuous (as will some heteros) and thus more susceptible to getting the disease.

But many are no more promiscuous than any heterosexual couple. And are no more at risk. I still maintain that the FDA is over reacting. But it is the FDA that should be lobbied, not the blood banks.

Banking blood is always a good idea, but unfortunately, most donations go to people that do not have time to do that. For one reason or another. And they will always be at risk to someone who slips past. I am glad I can give, and will continue to do so. And I will continue to yell at stupid people that try to reduce the number of donors because of a fit of pique.

Zoologist03

on Feb 06, 2008

Couldn't homosexuals just pretend to be straight to donate blood...I mean, is there an FDA agent with a "Gaydar" machine or something? Correct me if I'm wrong, but homosexuals look like normal people, don't they?

~Zoo

ParaTed2k

on Feb 06, 2008

The educated idiots at San Jose University are so quick to scream "discrimination" they are forgetting a few things.

First of all, "discrimination" can only happen if someone is denied a right. There is no "right" to donating blood.

Also, it's not about being homosexual, it's about high risk groups. There are more heterosexual groups that can't donate blod than homosexual.

You can't donate blood if...

You weigh less than 110lbs.
You are on anticoagulant meds.
You are pregnant or lactating.
You have donated (or lost) a pint of blood in the last 8 weeks.
You are an IV drug user, or have had sex with an IV drug user.
You have had sex for money. (either accepted the money or paid it).
You have had an organ transplant.
You have been to jail or prison for more than 72 hours in the last year.
You had a tattoo in the last year.

The truth is, there are all sorts of people who can't donate blood. It's not about discrimination, it's about protecting the blood supply.

The idiots and San Jose University are doing nothing more than putting their pathetic politics above lives.

Zoologist03

on Feb 06, 2008

Aside from some homosexuals who demonstrate characteristics that other folk may deem as odd, homosexuals do look like everyone else.

See, there ya go. I just don't know how they could effectively ban them from donating blood. I assume it would be rather rude to question everyone about their sexual identity.

By the way, that's a hell of a story.

Drag queens riding bikes home at 7AM...you just don't see that very often...unless of course you live in Hillcrest apparently.

~Zoo

Dr Guy

on Feb 06, 2008

Yes they could. It is an honor system. They do test the blood, and if you test positive for any of the disqualifiers, they basically ban you. But if you do not, they do not know what you do in private life (even if you do test positive they do not know how you got it only that you have it).

Dr Guy

on Feb 06, 2008

His explanation... "Oh, Honey... THAT was just some old drag queen on her way home after a hard night of partying." Wow!

! yea, some do stick out. But if he went home and changed, you would never have known.

Dr Guy

on Feb 06, 2008

You can't donate blood if...

YOu have received blood or blood products in the last year.....

That one would have gotten me if the surgeon had not done a bloodless operation (pinched nerve), which is standard when at all possible.

Dr Guy

on Feb 06, 2008

I assume it would be rather rude to question everyone about their sexual identity.

Actually it does not ask that, it asks if you have had sex with a man, even once, since 1977. That is all.

And if not to throw more gas on the fire, the question is only asked of males. Females are not asked if they had sex with another female (probably due to the exchange of body fluids), so it is not all Homosexuals, just male ones.

ParaTed2k

on Feb 06, 2008

I assume it would be rather rude to question everyone about their sexual identity.

They ask all sorts of questions about sexual practice... and rightly so.

ParaTed2k

on Feb 06, 2008

Dr. Guy:

Yes they could. It is an honor system.

It is far from the "honor system". Every pint of blood is sealed with a UPC that is registered with the donor's name and SSN. That UPC stays with the sample from the donation to the recipient. If a sample is found to be tainted for any reason, the donor is known. If the donor lied they can be charged, especially if anyone was infected or killed because of it.

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