I've often wished there were a way we could all be 100% confident of everyone else's status. Probably everyone does. Some type of public, accountable forum would be a wonderful addition to the hobby. I don't think anyone doubts your intentions. No one thinks HIV is a joke and yes, probably everyone should know.
Unfortunately, public forums, like public theaters, have to have rules that prevent one person from yelling fire and thus endangering the lives of so many others. While you think you are protecting lives, it could actually have just the opposite effect. This cannot be a place to speculate about the health of other people.
The moderators may add to this (or tell me I'm off base!) but please continue to participate around here. We need more ladies and gentlemen alike who are motivated by their concern for others.
Originally Posted by FLWrite
Ashden,
To help illustrate the above point, let me offer a hypothetical example. Let's say I went and saw you and tried to coerce you into providing BB Greek. You, being a respectable and safety conscious provider decline, leaving me unsatisfied and holding a grudge. I then come on the board and write a post similar to yours accusing you of being HIV positive, citing several anonymous sources as well as my buddy who is a doctor who saw your test results. Can't give his name or place of work because it'd compromise his job.
Now, I would never pull any shit like that, but you can bet your ass that if it was allowed, there are many guys that would. The mods must have a blanket policy regarding these things, because they would quickly spin out of control if they didn't. This isn't to say I doubt the sincerity or intent of your claim (although I must admit that I approach everything I read on here with a healthy amount of skepticism). It's just to say that the mods don't have the luxury of being subjective in these matters.