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From: ST102199%BROWNVM.BITNET@mvs.oac.ucla.edu (Moore)
Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
Subject: Re: (2926) AIDS protest last night
Message-ID: <1991Jan25.033900.28869@cs.ucla.edu>
Date: 25 Jan 91 00:13:24 GMT
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I agree that there are MANY other serious issues to deal with in this day
and age, but part of the rationale behind the act up action yesterday was that
billions of dollars are being spent in the persian gulf which could go to AIDS
research, treatment, and education.  I went to the ACT UP/NYC meeting the
monday before the demonstrations, and there was a great deal of debate as to
whether or not do the action despite the war, but the decision to go ahead
was based on the interconnectedness between the AIDS crisis and the gulf war.
For instance:
- The armed services have enacted their "stop-loss" policy which means that
they will accept openly gay people into the military during the war, but once
it's over, they will discharge them without an honorable discharge, which
means that they will not be eligible for any kind of benefits (medical,
scholarships, etc..)
-60% of the armed forces are people of color, many of whom were economically
drafted due to high levels of unemployment for them here in the U.S.

These are two groups which the government has ignored in it's  lack of speed
in AIDS research, etc.   The money spent in the gulf, as well as the color of
the skin of the people the U.S. is fighting are all intricately connected
to the AIDS crisis, and it may be that some of the issues I'm putting forth
here might get some press attention if the AIDS activists can put a damper
on the "euphoria" the media would like to contrive surrounding this war.

These are some of the reasons I support any and all AIDS activism during the
war.  The U.S. public needs to know that there is more going on here than
an "arab hitler" trying to take over a smaller neighboring country.

some thoughts to ponder on 1-24-91

moore