Peter Rosetti Jr. is now dead, and few people may remember his name. But his fight for AIDS-infected patients to receive Social Security benefits may breathe much-needed life into an issue that has received too little attention.

Rosetti battled to receive Social Security disability benefits that he previously had been denied in a case that painfully highlights our society's continued prejudices toward AIDS victims.

Similar to people who have debilitating cancer, AIDS patients deserve to receive disability benefits from their government. But that has been stalled by continued disturbing attitudes toward AIDS victims. It's sad that Rosetti had to even go to court in the first place to get what was rightfully his.

He eventually won his fight with the help of more liberal disability guidelines adopted by the Clinton administration. But more importantly, Rosetti succeeded because somebody finally began to wake up.

Somebody woke up to the long-standing prejudices directed at AIDS patients.

Somebody woke up to a problem that is increasingly pervading the United States.

Somebody woke up to the fact that AIDS won't be going away, even if our compassion and humanity are.

Nevertheless, too many people are still asleep, in a dream world where they think the devastating effects of AIDS can be ignored and its victims can be stepped on.

But for Peter Rosetti Jr. and other AIDS victims who have been trampled upon too many times by a society and government too slow to react, this little step in the right direction just may keep somebody awake.