Sometimes you hear stories that defy imagination, defy all logic and common sense, that you assume that they must be made up. There are times that the law is so flawed, so fucked up… in post-industrial democratic societies like the United States these miscarriages of justices no longer occur. Things like this aren’t allowed to happen, are they? Unfortunately, they do. Which brings us to the tragic case of Genarlow Wilson. What has been allowed to happen to this young man is truly a crime.

At the age of seventeen, Genarlow Wilson had his entire life ahead of him. Honour student, Home-Coming King and football star for his high school team. He was being recruited by all the leading colleges to join their football program. Then, on the day he was due to sit his SAT’s, his life changed forever. He was arrested. In Douglas County, he was accused of inappropriate sexual acts at a News Year’s Eve party. A jury acquitted him of the allegation of rape but convicted him of Aggravated Child Molestation for a voluntary act of oral sex with another teenager. He was 17, and she was 15.

Imagine the scene. Genarlow Wilson and his friends checked into a hotel/motel for New Years. Some girls, some bourbon and a little marijuana. One of the young men turned on a video camera.

On tape, cops saw a 15-year-old girl, a 10th-grader, performing oral sex on a partygoer and, after finishing with him, turning and performing the act on Genarlow. She was the instigator, according to her mother’s testimony. Problem was, the girl was a year under the age of consent. Local prosecutors called the act aggravated child molestation, following the letter and not the spirit of the law, which was designed to prosecute pedophiles. A week later, on the first day of the second semester of his senior year, the police went to the school and arrested the boys. Wilson was charged with four felonies and taken from the building in handcuffs. Not long before, he’d been in the newspaper for being all-conference in football. Now, he was on the front page, branded a rapist and child molester. (more…)

I cursed and screamed like a spoilt little brat last night when I went to have a shower at the end of the day and discovered there was no hot water! I couldn’t believe that at a time when I wanted to wind down and have a rejuventing hot shower, I couldn’t.

I thankfully gained some perspective this morning. I can’t say that I will never take things for granted again but I am trying…

In support of the Make Poverty History Movement, I’d like to share with you a short video with a huge message. Even if you don’t share the same view, please show some click love and watch the video - The miniture earth. At the very least is well made.

There is a drug Called Remicade/Infliximab that is used to treat Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. Currently it is not on the PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme). Meaning that if you get to the point of having to use this drug as a last resort before surgery or to try to close a fistulae, you are looking at $1,006.25 per infusion (the vial is a measly 100mg).

Many, many sufferers of Crohn’s, U/C and even rheumatoid arthritis have been given a second chance at a normal life with the use of regular Infliximab infusions. Unfortunatley, how many of us can afford it? They say that you put no price on your health, but the sad fact is, that if you don’t have the money there isn’t a whole lot you can do about it. This drug is used to to block a certain protein called tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in people with autoimmune diseases. (TNF-alpha, when produced in higher than average amounts, causes imflammation within the intestinal tract, leading to damage to the bowel walls.) It is a godsend for people who can tolerate it and one-third of patients treated with infliximab achieve remission of their disease.

There is a petition on www.infliximab.org that us Crohnnies and U/cer’s have been putting our names to, screaming to have Infliximab put onto the PBS. This support of names will be given to Health Minister Mr Tony Abbott, in hopes that he will gain an understanding of how important this is.

I do not have to take this drug right now, as my Crohn’s is controlled with other medications, but that is not to say that I may never need it. If that day comes I hope that this petition will have had its desired outcome. Its not fair that it seems only the rich can afford this drug.

Please support us, sign your name!!