Thursday is The Day After

TODAY is the second day of December, one day after the celebration of World Aids Day. In the past ten years or so, the first of December had gained some sort of sacrilege as men and women of fame as well as those who are merely movers in the society (that is, without being famous) troops to the streets to wear red ribbons. In papers and in television, the issue of this modern day scourge rattles and rumbles to a din that one could not escape it. The awareness we get from this barrage of proclamations perhaps tells us that our world's problems regarding AIDS continues to permeate and threatens.

The world's biggest band U2, has a new song included in their latest album, "How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb" which they titled as "Miracle Drug"; by its name, we could tell that the song is about the dreaded disease. More particularly, it croons out the problem of trickling money that goes into the fight against AIDS. This year perhaps, the main theme of the "celebration" is the call for more funding and donations towards research and care of AIDS victims worldwide.

In downtown Zamboanga, In the plaza where ordinary people meet to commemorate every occasion, firelights zoomed towards the sky and the booming sound of pyrotechnics trembled through the four corners of the city. I wonder what they were celebrating about when there is really nothing to celebrate for but everything to grieve. I guess perhaps, the explosions were not of joyous outpour but that of an agitated cry for help.
Maybe the world could look into itself so that men and women would pinch more coins into the AIDS Fund, and those who suffer may find relief. May the Lord be on their side.

On hindsight, I feel that no amount of money could solve this AIDS problem where victims multiply by the day. It is not by educating ourselves on how to use condom but it should be for us to educate ourselves in not pursuing the excessiveness of our instincts and be cautioned against a life of promiscuity that leads more or less towards the problem of infection. The world must need a thorough and complete spiritual awakening because in the care and arms of religiosity, we are led away from carnal activities.