Back Talk

The San Jose State University president has declared that the Red Cross will not be permitted to conduct its annual blood drive on campus this year because the university refuses to comply with the FDA policy that homosexual men who are sexually active (the image that phrase conjures up makes me slightly nauseous) may not donate blood. The university public relations mouthpiece rationalized their refusal to accept life saving blood by stating that the Food and Drug Administration rule that bars sexually active gay men from donating blood violates the campus’s nondiscrimination policy. Apparently, a homosexual staff member saw this as prejudice against homosexuals, notwithstanding the risk of HIV or other STDs. As usual, the political correctness parishioners miss the point which is that this has nothing to do with discrimination and everything to do with public health. The FDA Policies don't ban gay men; they ban health risks. The San Jose State blood drive brings in an estimated 1,000 pints of blood a year. Do we assume that a San Jose State student or staff member involved in an accident and needing a couple of pints of blood will have to go elsewhere?