Antony

After discovering e-petitions for No. 10 Downing St (see Get politically active!), I have checked for relevant ones on a regular basis. Here’s a few that are relevant to me and my life:

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Blood-Equality/
The has been a big story line in Holy Oaks about gay men (or men that sleep with men) not being able to give blood due to the increased risk of HIV and other blood bourne viruses. I emailed the Blood service a few years back requesting the evidence base for this.

I recieved a response. The evidence base was out of date by several years. I don’t have the email any more, but I may email again to get the info. so I can post it here.

The evidence base does not reflect national stats, which state HIV infection rates are increasing in hetrosexuals faster than gay men for the first time ever. In addition to this, blood is screened, cleaned and broken down in to components anyway so it should be safe for the recipient.

This all of course when there is a national drive, due to the shortage of blood. The irony.

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Stopdeportinggay/
This is a petition to stop deporting gay and lesbians who face persecution in their own country. Now, I recognise the need for immigration control. However, is it fair or humanistic to send a person back to their home county where they face being hung. It is enough that we still have oppression, homophobia and discrimination in our society. Let’s not send people back to their own countries where it is worse.

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/diabetes-cure/
This petition is to ask the government to fund stem cell research to find a cure for diabetes. As many of you know, I am a suffer. I have also read of the research around stem cells from America and it does look promising. From an economic point of view, if we could cure diabetes it would save the country millions of pounds in what they spend in prescriptions (for insulin, needles, clippers, test strips, BM machines, etc.). Not to mention the costs to businesses that employ diabetic in terms of days off sick (as diabetics are more prone to illnesses).

I am by no means asking you to sign these for me. Just sign which of these you feel are relevent to your life. And what you would like to petition Gordan Brown to make a priority.

Blog soon,

Antony