AIDS - the conservative, Southern connection...

Drudge points to this article in the Atlanta Urinal-Constipation in which we learn the connection between conservatism and AIDS:

The South is more greatly plagued by AIDS and HIV infections because of racial and economic differences and a conservative cultural attitude that interferes with attempts to halt the disease, the report said.

Right. A disease that's spread primarily by needle drugs and anal sex is to be blamed on "conservative attitudes". Have Southerners been encouraging this behavior?

And there's this:

More than half of the people with AIDS in the South are African-American, though only 20 percent of the region's population is Black. African-American men are less likely to acknowledge that they are in a high-risk group for AIDS and are less likely to volunteer for HIV testing, researchers say.

Yep, and African-Americans typically vote conservative as a bloc, right?

And this:

In addition, it said AIDS/HIV rates closely parallel the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases, such as syphilis and gonorrhea.

Yep, that accounts for the heterosexual cases that don't involve needles, transfusions or anal sex - the other STDs cause lesions in the genitals which permit AIDS to do its dirty work. OK, then how do you get STDs? By sleeping around. This isn't unheard of among conservatives, but at least they take the trouble to be hypocritical about it.

C'mon, AJC, don't try to sound like the NYT. They'll never respect you because you're from the South.