CNN/AP: Senator Obama, in Kenya, takes AIDS test to fight stigma

[DeepModem Mom]

Obama takes AIDS test to fight stigma
Thousands cheer senator during visit to father's Kenyan village
Saturday, August 26, 2006


Sen. Barack Obama and his family lay a wreath at a memorial for a 1998 terrorist attack.

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) -- U.S. Sen. Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, publicly visited a clinic and took AIDS tests Saturday in Kenya, where fear and social stigmas have slowed progress in fighting the disease.

Thousands of people gathered around the tiny mobile clinic in Kisumu, western Kenya, while Obama was tested in an effort to draw attention to Africa's AIDS epidemic.

"If you know your status, you can prevent illness," said Obama, the only black legislator in the U.S. Senate. "You can avoid passing it to your children and your wives."

Among Kenya's 32 million population, some 1.2 million people were infected with HIV as of 2004. Relief agencies say the national infection rate is 6.7 percent....

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/africa/08/26/kenya.obama.ap/index.html

[Waya]

1. Good for him......

[goclark]

2. Compassion and A Good Man ~ sincere

Qualities that are totally missing in Politics by the Chimp.

[onehandle]

3. But...but...He's a DLC thug. I read it on the Internets. nt

[951-Riverside]

4. Is he a thug, no definitely not. nt

[ninkasi]

5. Leading by example

Obama has promise, I think. He is apparently well respected, both here in the U.S., and in his father's homeland.