PEOPLE'S
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On the warfront
Hunger strike ends. Midnight Caller thoughtful.
Hochman s ‘ ‘Death Among Friends.* * And more.
B Y
H A R O L D
But there were missed opportunities. The
glaring absence of the word ‘condom’ can
probably be linked directly to the commercial
networks prohibition of condom ads. And the
Jack Killian speech, “ sleeping alone . . . ” which
made obvious reference to abstinence as a
means of protection, only heightened my
disappointment. Isn’t protection, by any
means, advisable? Night Caller's failure to
recognize barrier methods of protection seems
shortsighted.
Night Caller did not offend me. It did make
me think.
M O O R E
t felt like I was sitting on the front porch
waiting to die. The comings and goings of
people and events passed in front of me, yet I
was somehow separated from the impact and
energy; but alas, won’t the outcome be the
same? Well then, if the parade is passing, how
can I keep from being passed by?
• • •
World AIDS Day was observed around the
world on December I. Organized by the World
Health Organization (WHO), this global effort
to put the AIDS issue in the forefront of public
conscience took on special meaning through the
action of Richard Carper in Oregon.
Carper, a 36-year-old AIDS activist from
Eugene began a hunger strike on World AIDS
Day, announcing that he would fast to death, if
necessary, in an attempt to persuade President
elect George Bush to commit his administration
to the fight against AIDS.
A recovering drug addict. Carper was
diagnosed with AIDS two years ago. As his
hunger strike began, his doctors predicted that
without food. Carper would die within two
weeks.
The hunger strike ended when Carper
received a letter from the Bush transition team
in Washington which assured Carper that the
Bush administration would be committed to the
AIDS issue. The letter, signed by James
Pinkerton, said in part, “ He [Bush] regards it as
a crucial issue facing our country. The
President-elect believes we must commit
resources and the will to find a cure for AIDS.
And as he has said, we must develop solutions
that are sensitive to people with AIDS.”
We know from past experience with politi
cians that one letter does not a breakthrough
make. But Carper’s action makes a difference;
it serves as an inspiration to us all. If Silence
Equals Death, we hear Richard Carper loud and
clear.
• • •
Midnight Caller, NBC’s late prime-time
offering on December 12 had a storyline dealing
with a bisexual man who was knowingly trans
mitting the HIV virus. In both heterosexual and
homosexual contexts, the plotline and dialogue
exhibited sensitivity and understanding of the
roles both lifestyles play in our society, as well
as the interactive nature of all our behavior
regardless of sexual orientation.
In the show credit for the gay community’s
behavioral change in reducing transmission of
the virus was clear and to the point. Depiction of
homosexuality and people affected by AIDS
was not stereotypical.
• • •
Anndee Hochman’s “ Death Among
Friends,” Northwest Magazine, December II,
1988, an account of the loving, caring efforts of
six people bound together by the approaching
death of Lee Marvin made me cry. Hochman.
whose work regularly appears in Just Out,
captured the essence of caring. Adding to the
impact of the piece were wonderful photographs
by Claudia J. Howell.
The life and death of Lee Marvin continues to
touch us all.
Our first Won’t They Ever Learn Award,
however, goes to that same publication. The
impact of the captivating cover was diluted by
the use of the word “ victim” in reference to
Hochman’s article.
“ Use of the word ‘victim’ is wrong. It
denotes an attitude on the part of the person
affected by HIV. And we are now learning that a
passive-negative attitude does nothing to create
a positive impact,” says Paul Starr, client
services coordinator at CAP. I agree.
Lee Marvin was not a victim. It is unfair to
label him as such.
• • •
The battlecry “ Silence Equals Death”
should become more familiar in Portland. ACT
UP (AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power) meets
weekly at the Central Branch of the Multnomah
County Library, downtown. Meetings are every
Wednesday at 7 pm.
ACT UP started in New York City about two
years ago and has gained a reputation for
creative, direct and immediate actions against
persons, groups and institutions whose words
and deeds oppose rational, humane and
informed response to the AIDS Crisis.
• • •
Patty Ladd at Cascade AIDS Project needs a
pal. Be a PAL. CAP is looking for volunteers to
provide one-on-one emotional support to
people and their loved ones living with HIV
disease. The deadline for the next PAL training
is January 6. Are you looking for a way to make
a difference? Call Patty at CAP at 223-5907. •
tfim e p i fiotwe
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