Same site different protest. This is the 25th Anniversary of the first Act Up Demonstration. as Michael Bedwell reminds us.
to protest pharmaceutical companies profiting from the sales of HIV/AIDS drug AZT but without making it easily accessible to people infected with the disease. Their acting up REVOLUTIONIZED the government-medical-pharmaceutical world, eventually the FDA shortened the drug approval process by two years, and would create the drug cocktails that are keeping so many alive [too late for some whom I loved with all my soul].
On this very day I was an intern in Springfield, Illinois. Yes, we had AIDS patients. And it was heartwrenching not to have medications to keep them alive. Most of course were young. But in that first huge wave of illness there were so many very young. The hemophiliacs who had been given tainted blood... and the older, I had one lovely 78 year old woman whose husband had been given blood with his heart bypass surgery and he had given her AIDS too. I think he actually was one who made it to get AZT, she did not.
But all the wonderful young men, so brave .. so scared.. and President Reagan would not even say the word AIDS! Would not push for drug development or sales once AZT was discovered. It was ACT UP that did that for us. ...
And we didn't give it early enough to most patients. Those like Magic Johnson diagnosed NOV 1987 got it, of course. But then maybe his count was that low. We did not give it till AIDS was fullblown! What a horrible mistake. We now know you give it, or a newer one at diagnosis.. to maintain your immune status. Because that can take care of all those horrible infections for you. There were valuable new anti-bacterial and anti-fungal drugs developed to try to help with all the low immunity infections. ..and we learned so much so fast about our immune system.
But now we are left with this question.
After ACT UP's many successes, why did the "leaders" of *LGBT, Inc., kill support for nonviolent direct action? DADT could have ended much sooner, ENDA could be law, and we would at least be MUCH closer to marriage equality."
No, we have had to resurrect Nonviolent Direct Action ... via GET EQUAL in order to see the end of DADT. Others are Actively working to pass a fully inclusive ENDA, and get rid of DOMA once and for all, plus elect more LGBT to office at all levels to keep what we have so sorely won.
Please to all who want to see success in these efforts. Support your LGBTQI Activist orgranization of choice with your time and money. Not a passive/lobbyist one.