Quick read my buns

If I didn't hate the slangy, modern designation of books as "reads", I'd write off Elton John's Love Is The Cure as a "quick read."  It was quick.  Also honest; valuable; not likely to be read by the people who really needed to read it; slightly redundant at times yet realistic, and positive.  How do you get all that in a "read"?

He describes his life-changing encounter with a young AIDS sufferer, mentions his own rehab experience, then launches into the story of the Elton John Aids Foundation.  Established in 1992 in the U.S., it quickly spread its mission to England and then world-wide.   The foundation's focus is raising public awareness and money, then putting the money back into the community caregivers, hospices and projects in the most effective way possible.  It has maintained a 4-star (top) rating for its fiscal responsibility, good management, ethical behavior and transparency of operations.

The book contains much hope but occasional outrage.  The refusal of the big drug companies to manufacture AIDS drugs at a reduced profit even when he guaranteed them a bigger market.  The Bayer company's wilful dishonesty in selling a hemophilia medicine that was known to be contaminated with HIV.  It had been taken off the U.S. market but they still continued sending it to Asia and Latin American.  The Catholic church's obstinate ban on contraception even when they knew condoms could prevent needless suffering.  It was rumored that in many countries, the church deliberately spread misinformation that condoms would not prevent AIDS--tiny holes would allow the virus through.  The Florida governer and surgeon general who implemented "cost-saving" measures that would eliminate many people's assistance for ADHP therapy.  When Elton's John's foundation objected, the surgeon general proposed that Elton organize a benefit concert to make up the differnce.  He writes, "The American state of Florida, with its $69.1 billion annual budget, was proposing to outsource its AIDS efforts to a British musician."

But there are positive moments, too.  When the name-brand drug companies wouldn't lower the price of AIDS drugs, the Bill Clinton foundation took it to the generics manufacturers, who risked lawsuit to make it happen.    The second President Bush's global AIDS initiative--possibly his only legacy that we're not having to regret for years after he left office.  And in 2010, Pope Benedict XVI made a cautiously ambiguous statement admitting that in some cases, such as when a male prostitute uses a condom, it may considered a first step toward the return to morality.

And that's a lot to be said about a "quick read."