J 'Spread Panic, Not AIDS'

RYDER*S OPEN!, See Page 5 Volume IV, Issue 18 Next Deadline: October 4 -> Next Issue: October 11 September 27,1985 Published biweekly in Santa Clara County by Our Projects, Inc. Call for Quarantine; J ‘Spread Panic, Not AIDS’ By Dot James NDPC is “ pro-human; we’re not school boards, trade unions, anti-gay.” VFW’s, Lion’s Clubs, etc. Brian Lance, candidate for The NDPC 4-Point Program the U.S. Senate in 1986, is A member of the audience calls for: calling for nationwide bloodt declared that “ homosexuality is (1) A mass screening to deter esting and a quarantine of all itself a disease." Lance then mine who has AIDS, with people People With AIDS (PWA’s). admitted, “ We don’t view homo licensed by the state health Lance met at the LeBaron sexuality as a healthy lifestyle.” department (“hair dressers, Lance went on to say he nurses” ) or working in areas Hotel Sept. 18 with other believes “ gay bathhouses are inspected by the health depart members of the National little petri dishes for the spread of ment (“ restaurant workers” ) to Democratic Policy Commit AIDS.” be tested first and on a regular tee (NDPC), a political party Later responding to the accusa basis. formed by Lyndon La tion, Sal Accardi, president of (2) After screening, isolating Rouche, to announce the The Watergarden, commented, those who have the AIDS virus in NDPC program on AIDS. “ Lance’s charge is not new, but sanitoriums where they will be treated and used as research ‘AIDS will be the hottest political issue of 1986, subjects. “ Quarantine them; take spilling over into ’88.*_______________________ them out Of social circulation,” demanded Lance. “ AIDS is spreading into your neighbor La Rouche calls himseP a actually bathhouses are not a part hoods, into your schools — Democrat; however, the Demo of the problem, but a part of the bringing it home.” cratic Party has repudiiited La solution. (3) Setting up a crash program Rouche and his National Demo “ At The Watergarden we pro for research on AIDS and “ disea cratic Policy Committee time and vide condoms, education and ses of aging, ” such as cancer and ‘time again because of their literature on safe-sex practices, coronary disorders. conservative bias. and, most important, an at (4) Addressing the economic “ AIDS will be the hottest mosphere that is conducive for conditions which lead to unsanit political issue of 1986, spilling people expressing themselves in a ary living conditions in places over into ’88,” Lance stated, healthy and safe manner. such as Bel Grade, Florida. emphasizing the questions about “ Lance is using gay bath Initially, Lance focused his AIDS asked of President Reagan houses as a red herring,” Accardi speech on the latter two points of in his recent press conference. The NDPC leafleted at the ‘You interview him, find out who he’s been with, main post office for a week before its “AIDS Forum” in and track them down.’ hopes of drawing a crowd to its Catching some sun at the Castro Street Fair In San Francisco are meeting. Only a handful of continued. “His statement is the NDPC program and pressed openly lesbian Municipal Court Judge Mary Morgan (right) with her people showed up, mostly NDPC ignorant, misleading, and down for acknowledgement of the partner. Attorney Roberta Achtenberg and their infant son, Benji members and several gay activ right dangerous.” humanitarian intent of the 4- Alexander. More Castro St. Fair photos on p. 7. Photo by Ted Sahl ists. Lance claimed the NDPC is Point Program. He stated that a In response to a question from launching a nationwide campaign child with AIDS, whose immune Gay Community Center execu to “ spread panic, not AIDS” by system is damaged, will be very Electronic firm faces suit for tive directoTT David Treadwell, lobbying for signatories to a vulnerable if exposed to child- regarding the NDPC’s anti-gay Memorial Bill: City councils, Continued on Page 16 AIDS-Test firing literature, Lance stated that the county boards of supervisors. By Matt Thompson Attorney Grace Ybtura, repre cising his lawful rights in refusing senting a 27-year-old electronics to take the test.” employee, has threatened to take “Termination of our client’s legal action if Sunnyvale Electro employment because of his refu nics does not reinstate her client sal to take the test is a violation or pay damages for his allegedly of the law,” she wrote, “ and may unlawful termination. subject you to substantial liability Greg Duff was “ laid off’’ by for wrongful termination of his the Hrm on Sept. 1. According to employment.” Duff, his employer gave the In an interview with Our reason that he had “ low senior Paper, Duff related that Jerry ity’’ and that “ times are tight.” Bell of Sunnyvale Electronics Duff, however, believes that he informed him on Aug. 16 that it was fired for refusing to take the was assumed by the company controversial AIDS antibody that he was a homosexual. Bell test. He states that in the month stated that Duff needed to take immediately prior to his termina the AIDS test before Aug. 23 to tion, he was repeatedly pressured “ protect other jjeople in the to produce test results or “ face company” or “ face the conse the consequences.” quences.” “California law prohibits test Duff • reported that he was ing of a person’s blood for AIDS subjected to verbal abuse at work without written consent of the in the following weeks, including subject of the test,” wrote being “ called out to fight” with a Attorney Ybarra in a Sept. 13th co-worker. On Sept. 1, Duff was letter, to Peter Abrieu, president told that “ after careful delibera of Sunnyvale Electronics. “ That tion,” the company had decided law further prohibits using the to lay him off. His position was The Watergarden received a ‘'special recognition" from the Santa Clara County Department o f Public results of a blood test for AIDS filled the very next day by a new employee, according to Duff. Health. Pictured (left to right) are Dr. Bernadette DeArmond, Gary Crawford, Bemie Zebrowski, .Sal to determine suitability for emp Accardi (front), and Watergarden staffers Alex Mendizabel, Chris Ratio, Bob Farrar, John Gambler, and loyment.” Ybarra has given the company Kent Olson (rear). Story on Page 2.______ _______________________________________Photo by Ted Sahl Citing California Health and 15 days to respond to her letter Safety Code Sections 199.21(0 before taking further legal ac- OUR PAPER is changing its publication schedule and will be appearing every and 199.22f ^Ybarra- informed tion. Duff says that he will “ go as I Abrieu that her client was “ exer far as 1 have to go” with the case. other Friday. For new deadlines^^ee Page 2. _________________________ Page 2 / OUR PAPER / September 25,1985 Centers for Disease Control. Bob Clayton, ARIS Project It’s a constant telephone con Health tact among people who are in the For By Ted Sahl to us from the “Cenue helping professions, and a const SPECIE. Living With Dying.” ant dialogue going on between to the management and staff of the WNTEUGAROEN The following interview was The “ Free of Fear” meetings members of our “ Free of Fear” conducted with Bob Clayton at started as an open meeting to group, calling each other — for their support of STD Control Programs 1980*198Sk the ARIS Project in San Jose on allow anybody to come and ask talking, being there, listening September 10,1985: questions about AIDS. when needed. Bob Clayton: I am a gay man, 1 We have been meeting every We do a lot of hugging. If live in San Jose, and I have been Tuesday night since then. AIDS is trtmsmitted through concerned for a long time about hugging. ¿¡U_ AIDS in our community. OP: You’re all in a lot of nUtXUKI > TKiWl «TMU. mA w Prusraro t;a**^,«M»ror Attending numerous sessions trouble I on AIDS — the causes and the BC: Exactly . .»yVtAr ramifications of'the disease — OP: I was surprised, there were made me realize I had to make quite a few people here tonight some changes in my life. who are AIDS patients. Watergarden receives Health I had to put something into my BC: Yes, in Santa Clara life that was fearful, very fearful: County, people being treated as The fact that there is no guarw- having AIDS is up to 85. Department award tee that I’m not infected with OP: We never hear about In the local press. Bernadette DeArmond, M.D., ted the award in a ceremony on AIDS. Right now I am on one side of BC: No, we hear about San Acting Health Officer September 20. Francisco, with 57 new cases in for the Santa Clara County DeArmond stated, “ I want to the fence; but if 1 am ever thank The Watergarden for the diagnosed with AIDS and go to the month of August. Department of Public Health, the other side, I want a support Somehow the San Jose Mer presented The Watergarden of courtesy and consideration exten group there for me. This is one of cury News has managed not to San Jose with a certificate of ded to our people — even when they’ve sometimes been camped the reasons I am involved with pick up on what’s happening in “ special recognition” for its good old Silicon Valley . I on your backdoor step! ARIS. support and cooperation in the Our Paper: What exactly is don’t know why. health department’s 1980-85 pro “ We’ve both been through a lot of changes in five years, and ARIS? Bob Clayton o f ARIS Project.

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