NationStates Jolt Archive

The rapidly spreading STD VODAIS has affected countless nations and, as such, I have noticed that many governments have chosen to exile their infected citizens from society. At first glance, this practice seems barbaric, but upon further inspection it may actually be the most humane approach to dealing with the situation. I think of it like this:

On one hand, we could spend taxpayer money to treat the ill and still run the risk of them irresponsibly infecting still more citizens. Depending on the severity of the disease (lethal? incurable?), this massive use of government funds will either slowly eliminate VODAIS or will simply slow its spreading.

On the other hand, we could simply exile the sick and wait for them to die, thus eliminating the disease completely. This approach is indeed cruel toward the ill, but it will spare countless otherwise healthy citizens from contracting the disease. This method has been effective in the past for dealing with diseases such as Leprosy and is even widely employed today by countries which restrict entry of infected individuals (this is the reason Rabies is nonexistant in Jamaica, for example). One could even make the argument that those who have contracted VODAIS have brought exile upon themselves through unprotected promiscuity. Nonetheless, this practice still seems cruel.

I am interested in how your societies have dealth with VODAIS, and how you view the morality of using internment camps.

My policy on those camps has been the following.

I had two different categories in separate camps, one for those who were already walking deadmen, when the discease had reached a point in which it'd be incurable. There, if the people wanted it they could get a quick bullet death, euthanasia, and finally they'd be burnt to avoid further infections.

In another bigger camp which was rather like a town I put all the recently-infected people so they can keep leading a somewhat normal life, with 8 hours of work max depending on their condition. A percentage of those that became stabilized could return to normal society however wearing an insignia for those to know, and they lived an average of 21 years after infection.

And then I boosted my health system and made a campaign to let people know how to avoid the discease. All in all it worked pretty well, but it must be mentioned that prior to this the healthcare was very insuficient. Nowadays the camps have been closed as there is no more need for them. It was the safest thing for the society.

Kaiser M. Martens

{Erthkai'i'tamdekmake'terr}
x Masjon Hieronymus Styger (Speaker, Erthkai vesh pij verr, Cvechiokal)
- relay via Thidgahv-Soksot Lok'e'terr-Lixvox (Ambassador, Cetaganda)
o Unknown Party (Holy Empire of Hizaguchi)

We have had trouble with this in Cvechiokal due to the recent influx of foreign investment. Morale is unhurt, for the Cvechiokali are a moderately fatalist people and taking it in stride--the vesh takes care of its own. However, there is nothing preventing those with VODAIS from living generally normal lives, minus a few minor restrictions.

The current method of curtailing the spread of VODAIS and other such uncurable venereal diseases is to resort to chemical castration and a clearly visible tattoo on the left thigh. This allows people to live their lives normally without fear of shame (as would be done with an openly visible symbol of "uncleanliness"). If chemical castration does not work, or if those infected do not show up for their monthly state checkup and thus actively avoid that treatment, then more permanent measures are taken once they are apprehended. Luckily, the rate of state noncompliance in the vesh is providentially low.

http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/sirithil/spokesman.gif
Masjon Hieronymus Styger of the vesh pij verr