World AIDS day, 2011

I have a jaded view of the AIDS epidemic. I had the honor of knowing a man who was at the epicenter of the crisis. A man who knew more than history will ever announce.

Wayno was as bartender in New York City in the late 70’s and early 80’s.He knew people who died of “Consumption” in the late 70’s. AIDS was officially discovered in 1981.

We had a president at that time: a conservative president who was particularly anti-gay, and apparently particularly stupid. Despite the ravage that AIDS was wreaking in the third world, he was silent.

It was 1987 before Reagan ever mentioned AIDS out loud. Almost six years into the crisis (in America), he finally said the disease’s name. (Would anyone like to compare that to Swine Flu or Bird Flu or any of those other great health crises lately?) Over 41,000 Americans had died of the disease, and god only knows how many millions had died in sub-Saharan Africa and other third world countries before our president announced that the disease existed.

The AIDS crisis is not over. It lives.