My DH picked up an American Veteran magazine (Fall 2012) at a VA Clinic. He pointed out a full-page ad for “Tune into Hep C” inside. Celebs Greg Allman and Natalie Cole are the website‘s official spokespersons. I suppose I should be glad that at least some outreach is taking place even if the motive is profit.
However, the inspiration for the campaign is most likely the late Timothy Leary’s “turn on, tune in, drop out” slogan. Despite the non-judgmental copy, I think Merck’s attitude is: “Got Hep C” (all you tattooed, ex-dirty-needle-using veterans)? Fess up bro and go see your doctor–or else!
Maybe I’m too cynical; maybe I’m reading it wrong. Creepy and insulting advertising targeted towards veterans–or not? Should AMVET.org decline this type of advertising campaign for Hep C or go with it? You can comment on ASKNOD or email Jay Agg, National Communications Director for AMVET magazine: jagg@amvets.org. Your influence counts!
asknod
Bethanie Spangenberg
kcraveiro
robinhoodesqvetsatty
Wesley McCauley
Veterans Claims Help 
Good discussion. Thank you for your input.
My take on this is this is positive. It’s exactly this type of exposure that it takes to get things done. If Johnny Vet gets HCV, the public could give a rat’s behind, but when it’s a celeb, different story. Look what Elton John did for HIV research. It takes pressure from those that can penetrate deaf ears. (No pun intended)
AskNod, remember my Local Summer Hep C Hoedown? I have a hard time finding anything funny or fashionable about our disease.Yesterday, I got a call from my local VAMC (yes, saturday,shocked I was), it was my buddy BUFORD (no not from Walking Tall fame) but from let me screwup your eligibility every two years fame.I filed a complaint back in Sept for a ambulence bill they were trying to stick me with. He said one person left and now they are 3 months behind on everything.(must have been only working employee)I can’t figure how so few can screw up so much for so many.Damn never thought I would choose having HIV over Hep C.But has such prestige with it nowadays.I remember when it was only a Gay Bath House Disease!!!!
HCV is a dirty disease. Always known like this. Allman’s were junkies. Proud ones to boot. Any vets among the gifted musicians? They already sold their souls for rock and roll. Leary is long dead but lives on in music. Thank God I survived the 60’s…
Any Vets among the gifted musicians? Well… lets see… There’s MC Hammer, Ice-T, Shaggy, Maynard Keenan of ‘Tool’, John Coltrane, Jerry Garcia, Johnny Cash, Jimi Hendrix, Kris Kristofferson, and of course Elvis Presley, for starters.
Well lets see who is the “admitted” drug user. Wrote songs about dope or getting high? Encourage safe needle exchange at taxpayer expense? Fast track for that liver transplant? Afford blood transfusions in Sweden? Are still alive to tell all to just say no to drugs? Other than Jimi Hendrix the rest were dope fiends. Hendrix suffered from PTSD as well as from his fame and wealth. My HCV had nothing to do with this admitted lifestyle or mantra. Yet many assume I lived hard and slammed dope all along the watchtower. Long live rock and roll….
Not all on that short list were/are ‘dope fiends’. I also don’t think that anyone assumes my HCV was due to slamming dope. But it’s not exactly an issue broached during normal conversation either. I understand your anger. I’m paddling in the same canoe as yourself. Mine was courtesy of either the Army or Navy hospitals via the blood I didn’t even really need, but hey… I guess better safe than sorry. To make a rock and roll reference… “don’t carry that anger, it’ll eat you up inside”. Rock on, brother Veteran.
I have learned to use my anger instead of it using me. The best way I can describe it is akin to a stupid movie. Freddy movie where Alice Cooper(role as daddy) is beating his kid with a belt. The kid says this “stop feeling the pain and learn how to use it”. Yes after all the Rx drugs and VAMC IFN treatments I am still alive. My “beatings” come from the vA and how I have been treated for the past 17 years in their system. Both mental and physical. My HCV has progressed to cancer and much more than I can discuss here. I refuse anymore SSRI’s or more Rx when I complain about my symptoms. We tread different roads but all lead back to the vA. I make no excuses for my anger and hatred to what has been done to me. I judge no one by what they say here. NOD is a light at the end of a dark tunnel. I value the support I get here. I hope others do too…