Opinion poll: AIDS, please respond

The Global Fund has a $5 billion dollar shortfall. They are saying this is due to increasing need, not the global economic downturn. I'm in Washington DC today with a group of concerned individuals to discuss a strategy to overcome this shortfall. I understand that I may be biased because I do this work, but I see the crisis AIDS has created as one of the greatest humanitarian opportunities in my generation. I often hear dissenting viewpoints.

At a recent public talk I gave in the US someone wrote on their comment card that AIDS, like war, was a way to control a burgeoning population. This person went on to write that we should stop trying to prevent it and let it do it's job...they did say that if we were to spend money on AIDS it should be exclusively to find a cure.

Some people believe it is the result of sin (sexual impropriety or drug use), so the people suffering earned their consequence and we should let them suffer.

Since this is my profession one thing I can tell you is that there seems to be donor fatigue...people seem calloused to the AIDS crisis. This causes me great concern because the AIDS money from government sources is not going to run forever. So, I ask you, what is your opinion of the AIDS pandemic? Does it stir compassion in you or do you just want to say, "can we talk about something else already?" Why? Inquiring minds want to know.