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Reply to "ACT UP"

Hmm... Sadly, I see your point, Seven. Definitely it is silly of me to think there could be a lecture or pamphlet or whatever saying, "if you're going to do this drug, you should know..." without the sponsor being accused of promoting drug use. (It's funny, too. Even my most distant acquaintances know I'm about as likely to promote drug use as your most conservative great great grandmother.)

Sadly, though, I think maybe you're right that even if I'd worded it more intelligently, like "these are the risks associated with these drugs, and here is where to go if you want to stop using," all in one pamphlet/lecture, the Powers-That-Be might still mischaracterize that as "promoting drug use." One reason I think that, is because of the "abstinence only" lessons now given in high schools...many school districts simply pretending kids aren't having sex, rather than giving them much needed information about safety. --i.e. Information about safety does not seem as important to good ol' U.S. society right now as turning a blind eye, preaching morality, and letting folks get HIV or pregnant when they're 16.

Still, back when I was a whipper snapper in ACT UP, the information was all there. So I think it can be done. It just has to be an "inside job" maybe. --Just from sitting in those meetings I couldn't help but absorb everything about safe sex between men, safe sex between a woman and a man who sleeps with men, and safe sex between women. And, of course, drugs and risk, the immune system, AIDS, comparative treatments, the emotional fallout of being positive, of being negative, everyone's symptoms, and all of it. Everyone trusted the information, because it was from the community. --I still remember how hilarious we all thought someone's attempt to promote "vaginal condoms" was. We were like, "yeah, that's gonna happen." --Pretty much the same with "dental damns." i.e. It was all about what people were *really* doing, so we trusted it and were honest about our habits. It wasn't coming from some outside source preaching without even really knowing what we were about.

So, diehard utopian that I am, I still hold out hope that that could happen again. --People need to *want* the information though. --I guess maybe Mr. Joe is right. They'll want the information when things go from a little scary to really bad. --BUT maybe as soon as we see it starting, it's our responsibility to start the talking? ...??
Last edited by Karen M.
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