‘AIDS Threat: How Serious?’

With all my heart I hope and pray that the information contained in your article on AIDS by staff writer Robert Scheer (Part I, Aug. 14) does not cause a lackadaisical attitude with our young heterosexual people; that may lead to their own story, such as that, in the View section, by Hank E. Koehn (Aug. 14).

I had a “diagnosis” in March of this year and although the nature of my disease is unimportant, my experiences because of it, are important. Although I have worked as a vice president and member of a small segment of the financial community for 30 years, I have yet to receive the first phone call, letter or visit from any of my associates.

The fact is, I feel my company has made me a nonperson because of a fear that my disease also determines my sexual preference. Mind you, I said the fear of it.

So I am fearful that the community that ignores the AIDS crisis now will wake up in seven or eight years as did the gay community and find the devastation that only now is beginning to surface among the population in general.

PHIL SCHAARSMITH

Pasadena