Singer Elton John has declared a new war on AIDS and the “fascists and idiots” who continue to stigmatise the disease.
The outspoken singer finished off World AIDS Day 2011 with a stirring speech last (Saturday) night, as he watched fireworks over a red Sydney Opera House and providing some fiery words of his own.
Elton added his hope that one day “there will be no need for a World AIDS Day”.
“We have got this disease really by the scruff of the neck,’ Sir Elton told those gathered at Circular Quay to mark the end of World AIDS Day.
“But we cannot loosen that grip we have on it. If governments start backing out and stop funding, then the epidemic will start to balloon again.”
Sir Elton, who is ‘married’ to his partner David Furnish, said the world needed to “fight a new war, to get the funding necessary to actually kill the disease once and for all”.
But this would not happen unless the issue of stigmatism was dealt with, he added.
“If we can de-stigmatise this disease once and for all, we are really going to beat this disease,’ the singer said.
‘This is not a faggots’ disease anymore. This is a worldwide disease that affects everybody”.