I'm headed out to a rally at noon at the State Building in San Francisco (455 Golden Gate). If you are in the neighborhood, or the City stop on by. I'm going to be trying something new, a live photoblog. I'll be posting to the flickr tag 8509AIDSRally, and the photos should appear in this post right away if all turns out well. If you happen to stop by, feel free to use this tag as well.
(Sorry for the "art" title...flickr was giving me trouble)
Ryan White wasn't from California, and only visted a few times as far as I can ascertain. However, he was here in 1990, just before his death, to host a post-Oscars with none other than legendary AIDS heros, the Reagans. Yup, one of his last public appearances came with the man whose legacy on the HIV/AIDS crisis was well summarized by Allen White in the SF Chronicle a few years ago as "Silence Equals Death."
But while California had a long history of queer activism on AIDS, including the founding of two of the earliest AIDS-focused organizations in 1982, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the AIDS Project Los Angeles. It was Ryan White, a boy-next-door kind of kid that made Congress stop simply averting their eyes to the crisis that was occurring. And just four months after White's death, the Ryan White CARE Act was signed. While White's story was just one of many reasons for the passage of what has become a monumentally important piece of legislation to the many AIDS patients across the country, his story broke the mold of thinking that AIDS was merely isolated to one community. Incidentally, AVERT, an international HIV and AIDS charity based in the UK, has a great web section on the history and science of the AIDS crisis.
Yet, today, amidst the budget crisis, we are now facing the end of the Ryan White Legacy. In the latest budget proposals, state AIDS funding is in danger of being completely eliminated.
"Funding for all aids programs up and down the state will be cut, pretty much eliminated, and that's got all of us very worried, because its quite serious," said Dr. Judy Auerbach of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. (CBS5 6/1/09)
These cuts aren't academic in the slightest, as the above news story points out, substantial cuts to AIDS funding will mean that people will not be able to afford drugs. They will miss doses or stop taking it all. Not only will they become sick and die, but the virus will grow stronger.
California was once the nation's leader on AIDS care. Heck, go check out the Office of AIDS, and even despite all the cuts, there is still hope for the future and finding a cure. In San Francisco, the PrepareStudy is working to find a vaccine for HIV.
Ending funding for HIV/AIDS will quite literally kill people. There can be no debate on that subject. And if that's what Arnold and the Republicans want to do, they should have to say that to the faces of every single one of these people.
XPosted 4/7/2008 11:46 PM PDT on MyDesert.com by BluePalmSpringsBoyz
Overheard Saturday night at the Democrats of the Desert Awards Banquet at the Las Rancho Palmas Resort, the decision to seek to close the Cathedral City medical marijuana clinic was made by Mayor Kathy DeRosa (R), Mayor Pro Tem Charles England (R), and Councilmember Chuck Vasquez (R-Closet Case) who voted to close the clinic.
Councilmember Greg Pettis (D), Candidate for the CA 80th Assembly District, and Councilmember Paul Marchand (D), Candidate for Mayor of Cathedral City, voted to support the clinic but were overruled by the Republican majority on council. In fact, Pettis was slated to appear at an event to support medical marijuana patients at Copy Kats last night, but the event was postponed.
(XPosted 1/30/2008 10:10 AM PST on MyDesert.com as BluePalmSpringsBoyz)
The media has reported that former-Sen. John Edwards plans to withdraw as a Democratic candidate for the nomination for President. It is a sad day as for many supporters, Edwards epitomized someone who early in the process opposed the disastrous policies of the so-called Pres. George Bush in Iraq and Iran, who was overwhelmingly supportive of LGBT issues, who spoke on behalf of the poor and working people of this country, and who set a mature tone for the Democratic campaign in general.
"Our nation pledged $15 billion over five years for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in many of the poorest nations on Earth...This investment has yielded the best possible return - saved lives."
Please, let me stop laughing. The so-called President has oftentimes promised much and then provided little to nothing for AIDS, Education, Ethnic Minorities, the poor, the disenfranchised, etc. Now, he 'pledges.' Pledges. Berlin said it best:
"No more words
You're telling me you love me while you're looking away
No more words, no more words
And no more promises of love
Please Mr. So-Called President, no more promises, show us the money!
The 2007 United States Conference on AIDS (USCA) is meeting in the Palm Springs Convention Center in Palm Springs, CA from November 7 - 10. Palm Springs is the smallest city to ever host the conference. However, this marks the largest attendance of health care experts, service providers and those living with AIDS thus far in the 11 year history of the USCA. The USCA has had an impressive list of sessions, including institutes, seminars, workshops, roundtables, and posters.
The Desert Sun reported on the official Mayors' Welcome Reception at Hotel Zoso:
Hundreds of people, gathered in Palm Springs for the country's largest annual AIDS conference, raised their index fingers to the sky Thursday night.
One.
For the millions of ones lost to the epidemic. For the millions of ones who survive. And, for the millions of ones who continue the fight.
It was a common message shared during an otherwise festive cocktail party - the official Mayors' Welcome Reception at Hotel Zoso - for the National Minority AIDS Council's 2007 United States Conference on AIDS.
"Too many people, for a long time, have (believed) that this is a gay man's disease," said Clayton Barbour, medical director of the Desert AIDS Project's Wells Fargo HIV Health Center.
"But we are a diverse community. And everyone is at risk."
The USCA 2007 Sponsor is the National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC). NMAC was established in 1987, and is the premiere National organization dedicated to developing leadership within communities of color to address the challenges of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. For additional information on NMAC, send an e-mail to info@nmac.org, or contact NMAC offices directly at NMAC - Main Office, 1931 13th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009-4432, Tel: (202) 483-6622, Fax: (202) 483-1135; (202) 483-1127.
