Tuesday, June 23, 2009

More selective misanthropy from Kushibo

Brian in Chŏllanamdo has linked to a Korea Herald piece by Benjamin Wagner that relies heavily on information from a highly activist paper on HIV/AIDS in Korea by Shin Surin that may in fact contain false information about HIV testing rates in Korea.
Stigma and discrimination toward HIV/AIDS has also greatly hindered prevention efforts. For example, the HIV/AIDS testing rate in Korea is low because people are afraid of the stigma attached to the disease.
If my contention is correct, the sentence might be accurate if it said voluntary testing is low, but HIV/AIDS testing — according to my preliminary analysis — is actually quite high because it's routine or mandatory in many professions, performed during annual health checkups that are required for employment. Along with syphilis and other STDs. Including teachers, by the way (but not at hagwons). 

Now, like I said, this is a preliminary finding. It may turn out that my sources are completely wrong. And if I am wrong about this, I will be the first to admit it, publicly and unequivocally. There will be a blog post — which I will link to wherever I have stated this contention — with a big fat headline entitled, "KUSHIBO WAS FULL OF SHIT ABOUT HIV TESTING." But, if I'm right, there will likely be the headline, "BENJAMIN WAGNER IS BULLSHITTING YOU ABOUT HIV TESTING." 

Unfortunately, comments are not allowed at this particular post of Brian's (just like here, where Benjamin Wagner went in and removed all the comments he made, including the insults and the questionable information), because we can't say things that will be critical of Benjamin Wagner, Tony Hellmann, or ATEK. 

All hail ATEK! Bow down to ATEK! 

You know, this is shaping up to be one of those things that if the Korean media were doing it, we'd be all over it.

on

2 comments:

  1. BrianTuesday, June 23, 2009 6:04:00 AM

    Comments on my site are a privlege, not a right. I've learned from experience that people cannot debate points on certain topics in a civil manner, and having a page of bickering underneath my posts reflects poorly on my own site.

    By the way I'm not affiliated with ATEK and this isn't an ATEK issue.

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  2. kushiboTuesday, June 23, 2009 6:22:00 AM

    I respect your right to not have comments, Brian. My disgruntlement about that is more directed at the ATEK personalities themselves than you (or Matt or Roboseyo).

    I think one could make a fair argument that this is, as you say, not an ATEK issue, per se, but Benjamin Wagner has tied this up with the E2 regulations which have become a major issue with ATEK. And since it appears he may be citing false information in all the HIV testing-related materials he's using with ATEK and the UNHRCK, it's relevant to those efforts.

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