Bill Clinton: “Good, Jesse. He asked what we were going to do to try to slow down AIDS in the community. How many of you know somebody…”

“Good, Jesse. He asked what we were going to do to try to slow down AIDS in the community. How many of you know somebody with AIDS? A pretty good number, huh? I'll tell you what we're doing; then let's talk about what's happening. Even though, if you heard my speech the other night, I talked about how we were reducing Government spending in many areas to bring our debt down, our deficit down, we have increased Government spending a lot in trying to improve research, to try to find a cure or at least a treatment for AIDS that will keep people alive and to try to improve the ability of folks who care with folks with AIDS and continue their useful life as long as possible. In addition to that, we've tried to promote more AIDS education and prevention. But this is kind of like the question you asked me about the family. Right now, the only thing we know that works with regard to AIDS is not to get it. And we know that AIDS is spread primarily in two ways: because of drug users using unsafe needles and because of unsafe sex, primarily homosexual sex but not exclusively. Now, so what we're trying to do is to be honest, brutally honest about that, talk to young people, tell them that your life is on the line and the only safe way, the only way to avoid dying from AIDS that we know right now is not to get it. And that's the truth. I think eventually we will, if not find a cure, because it's a virus, but we'll at least find a treatment that will keep people alive. But we're not there yet. So I'm going to spend more money every year I'm President to do more on research and development, to do more on care to try to lengthen the useful lives of people with AIDS. Any of us who've ever had friends with AIDS, some of you probably even have family members, have been gripped by this. It is agonizing, and it is a terrible problem for the United States. And I have friends who have died with AIDS or who have it now, so it's something I care a great deal about. But I have to tell you again--it's kind of like this schooling-- that right now, as much as I can do about it, the most important person in determining what happens to you and AIDS is you. And I hope that you will do it. Private and Charter Schools”