Do you recall the now-infamous HIV tattoo letter that Republican Neil Parrott as soon as authored?
The Herald-Mail, now Herald-Mail Media, printed Parrott’s HIV tattoo letter in March 2005.
A Abstract of the Neil Parrott HIV tattoo letter
In his letter, Neil Parrott lamented the rising variety of HIV infections in Washington County and known as for a “compassionate and critical response” to the “epidemic.”
“It’s time to take HIV critically,” wrote Neil Parrott, now a Republican candidate for Maryland’s sixth congressional district.
What “compassionate and critical” resolution did Neil Parrott suggest in 2005 to fight Washington County’s rising HIV an infection charges?
Tattoos.
Authorities-mandated tattoos.
“One such resolution is a tattoo for individuals who are contaminated,” Parrott stated.
Neil Parrott, pondering compassionately, prompt tattooing HIV-positive people “inconspicuously.”
Okay, so the place does Parrott suggest HIV-positive people get the tattoo?
“In a spot lined by a showering go well with, warning solely those that would possibly interact in intimate encounters with the contaminated particular person,” Parrott wrote as carnival music performed loudly.
Implementing The HIV Tattoo Mandate
Parrott compassionately prompt denying medicine to HIV-positive people till they determined to get inked.
All through a lot of his public life, Mr. Parrott has worn his evangelical Christianity on his proverbial sleeve.
Denying HIV-positive people medicine is the going price as of late for “Christian compassion.”
However throughout a world well being pandemic, Mr. Parrott stays sternly against obligatory COVID-19 vaccinations.
“There shouldn’t be a COVID passport, Mr. Parrott’s campaign website states.
Nor ought to individuals who refuse a COVID-19 vaccination be handled as “second-class residents,” Mr. Parrott’s web site exclaims as Parrott scrambles each remaining paper copy of his 2005 HIV tattoo letter.
“As well as,” Parrott’s web site states that “individuals shouldn’t be fired from their jobs just because they’d reasonably not get the COVID shot.
However Parrott would deny HIV-positive Individuals their medicine for refusing Parrott’s “compassionate” HIV tattoo resolution.
However take coronary heart.
Neil Parrott’s 2005 HIV tattoo proposal was “under no circumstances an answer by itself.”
“The actual resolution,” Parrott stated as he turned up the quantity on his CD participant that blasted the Benny Hill theme music, is “for intercourse to be esteemed extra extremely and practiced solely by married (straight) {couples}.
As a result of, in fact, HIV transmission is unimaginable exterior the confines of healthful marital monogamy.
“Abstinence-only schooling” is Parrott’s hard-and-fast resolution.
Abstinence “sends a transparent sign to college students” in regards to the expectations of intercourse with out “sending combined messages,” Parrott wrote as he opened a package deal containing his rose-colored water-squirting plastic flower.
Wrapping up, Parrott wrote that HIV tattoos are “one hundred pc” unmistakable indicators that enable all events to make knowledgeable choices earlier than sexual intimacy.
“These sensible options deal with this epidemic with the seriousness it deserves.”
Parrott reiterated HIV tattoos had been the “compassionate” resolution to combatting the rising HIV transmission charges in Washington County.
Neil Parrott’s 2005 HIV letter
“Based on experiences, 238 Washington County residents have been identified with HIV an infection. This threefold improve within the county since 1997 requires a compassionate and critical response to this epidemic.
Probably the most famous options among the many professionals embrace schooling relating to the right way to have ‘secure intercourse,’ and yearly testing for everybody, whether or not or not they’re in a high-risk group.
These options don’t go to the foundation of the issue. Additionally they go away a hole promise that if these options had been carried out, the HIV an infection price would decline.
In reality, educating kids the right way to have intercourse in a safer method really will increase sexual exercise and, consequently, the speed of sexually transmitted illnesses and HIV.
It encourages kids to interact within the dangerous behaviors that topic them to illnesses reasonably than affirming the one and solely resolution that actually works – abstinence.
The article by Tara Reilly presents one of many unhappy failures of the ‘schooling’ resolution when speaking in regards to the improve in HIV charges amongst ladies, stating, ‘Sadly for them, they’ve simply gotten with the improper companion.’
As revealed by a Well being and Human Providers Division examine, condoms don’t forestall the unfold of HIV, even when used correctly, each time.
Testing looks as if a wise resolution to assist management the unfold of HIV, however one might ask, “What distinction will that make?”
Reilly’s article went on to state that ‘there have been circumstances through which individuals knew they had been contaminated and continued to interact in dangerous conduct.’
So how does testing cease that, or warn their companions of the doubtless lethal encounter they’re about to have?
Doesn’t everybody should be protected against the beginning, not simply after-the-fact, with testing?
It’s time to take the specter of HIV critically.
A compassionate and critical resolution should protect the dignity of these contaminated whereas actually serving to to forestall the unfold of the illness in an efficient method.
One such resolution is a tattoo for individuals who are contaminated.
This mark could possibly be inconspicuously positioned, maybe in a spot lined by a showering go well with, warning solely those that would possibly interact in intimate encounters with the contaminated particular person.
An efficient solution to implement the consistency of the tattoo can be to offer drugs to the contaminated particular person solely after they’ve obtained the HIV tattoo.
The tattoo under no circumstances is an answer by itself.
The actual resolution is for intercourse to be esteemed extra extremely, in order that it is just practiced inside marriage.
Abstinence-only schooling sends a transparent sign to college students about what is anticipated, with out mixing messages.
The HIV tattoo would, nonetheless, assist to forestall the unfold of an infection by individuals who know that they’re contaminated, however who select to not curb their conduct, placing their companions in danger.
It will be a one hundred pc unmistakable signal permitting all events concerned to make an knowledgeable determination.
These sensible options deal with this epidemic with the seriousness it deserves, whereas being compassionate to these contaminated, and to those that are susceptible to unknowingly turning into contaminated someday.
Neil Parrott
Hagerstown”
Neil Parrott’s Letter Disappears From Herald-Mail Web site
Strive looking for Neil Parrott’s HIV tattoo letter on the Herald-Mail’s website.
Did you discover Parrott’s HIV Tattoo letter?
Now attempt working a Google search on “Neil Parrott HIV tattoo letter” or “Delegate Neil Parrott HIV tattoo letter.”
You’ll discover just a few blog articles on the topic.
Not can you discover Parrott’s letter within the annals of the Herald-Mail Media web site.
Why is that?
The Baltimore Solar referenced Parrott’s HIV tattoo letter in a July 2012 article.
Parrott’s HIV tattoo nonetheless creeps into discussions amongst Maryland politicos; his notorious letter isn’t an unkept secret.
Up to now, Neil Parrott has not publicly addressed his 2005 HIV tattoo letter.
Have Parrott’s beliefs modified since his letter’s publication?
Parrott has not responded to or declined to remark on A Miner Element’s requests for remark.
Neil Parrott is Operating for Congress
Neil Conrad Parrott of Hagerstown, Maryland, has represented Maryland Legislative District 2B since 2011.
District 2B is a two-member district overlaying elements of Washington County.
Forgoing re-election to the Maryland Home of Delegates, Parrott is once more working for Congress.
He gained the sixth District’s Republican nomination in 2020 however was defeated within the November common election by Rep. David J. Trone (D).
The Maryland Courtroom of Appeals pushed again the state’s main election from June 28 to July 19
Parrott is anticipated to face David Trone within the November 2022 common election.
Ryan Miner is the Editor in Chief, Founder, Senior Political Reporter and Writer of A Miner Element. He’s the host of A Miner Element Podcast.
