T h e Volume 10, Issue 9 500 HAYES ST.. SAN FRANCISCO, C A 94102 (415) 861-8100 ANGRY AIDS PATIENTS ORGANIZE; AIDS AWARENESS WEEK San Francisco, CA — Next Monday, Mayor Dianne Feinstein will proclaim May 2-8 as AIDS Awareness Week. (Ed. Note: Lorch Sends Blistering Response see “Well & Good,” page 4.) The numerous events scheduled for the week are designed to focus nationwide attention on AIDS, by Gary Schweikhart the health hazard which has now reached epidemic proportions. Nearly two dozen local AIDS The idea for the week originated with several local AIDS patients, angry over “Paul Lorch’s patients and has spead nationwide, with similar AIDS Awareness editorials and headlines regarding marches and activities in New York, Texas and Florida. The AIDS in the Bay'Area Reporter," local activities include: have begun to organize in protest. • A Candlelight March led by AIDS patients. Beginning at “This is the first time that we as a Castro and Market streets, at 7:30 P.M., May 2. The theme: group have decided to get together “Fighting for Our Lives." The purpose is "to memorialize those and stand up on our own." said who have died from AIDS, to show solidarity with those who now one of the participants. have the disease, and to demand that sufficient research funds be The first action by the group released to find the cause, the cure and any methods of was to send an open letter to Dr. prevehting AIDS." Marcus Conant, president of the • White House Call-In Day on May 3. Concerned citizens are Kaposi's Sarcoma Foundation, asked to call the White House to urge for increased AIDS protesting the BA.R.'s “sensational funding. The number: (202) 456-7639. approach to reporting [which] only • Public Information Forum at Unitarian-Universalist Church, fuels the fires of fear, guilt, 1187 Franklin at Geary, 7:30 P.M. The latest AIDS information homophobia and adds to the every­ from physicians, researchers, patients and others. Free and open day stresses patients must face in to the public. dealing’with this illness." The • CHR Wellness Conference, from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M., May 7. open letter further states. “Our At Cole Hall, Medical Science Building, UCSF, 513 Parnassus. concern is that if [publisher] Bob Costs: $5-$l0. Ross allows his paper to be directed • Mother's Day on May 8. Tell your family about the in this manner and'continues to seriousness of AIDS and have them write their respresentatives Feinstein Hails Win as ‘Mandate for Courage’ hold a place on the Board of in Washington to urge increased AIDS funding. Directors of the K.S. Foundation, For more information on any or all of these events, contact the Mayor Dianne Feinstein has that the coalition for the recall Sister BoornJ3oom, an outspoken that organization is going to lose a AIDS & KS Research and Education Foundation at 864-4376. dubbed her stunning 100,000 vote called itself progressive and pro­ critic of the mayor, also attended considerable amount of credibility BRITT, MOLINARI ASK $$$ FOR AIDS victory over the recall supporters gay. We intend to find out who the Feinstein victory celebration! in our community." as “a mandate.for courage." Fein­ was responsible." "I'm a good worker, a gdod sport San Francisco, CA — Supervisors Harry Britt and John This letter was signed by.22 stein made her comments to a Peter Nardoza, a gay aide to and I love a good party.” Boom local AIDS patients, and copies of Molinari have asked the Board of Supervisors for support of $2.1 crowd of cheering backers at her Feinstein, said the mayor "was Boom confided. it were widely disseminated among million in emergency spending for AIDS. Their request, if campaign headquarters last Tues­ very, very happy about the results Feinstein wound up the election elected officials, gay political clubs approved by the Board, would urge the mayor to budget for day night. of the recall election." While with 127,043 votes, or 81.2 percent and the local gay/lesbian press. increased patient care, public education and medical research to The defeat of the recall effort Nardoza said the mayor will "hold of all votes cast. She finished first After printing the letter in full meet the growing number of AIDS cases. was total and city^wide, which on the front page of the 4/21/83 Part of the $2.1 million includes “a request for $293,500 in surprised even those who sup­ issue of the B.A.R., editor Paul additional funding for the KS Foundation and the Shanti Project ported the recall. They were Lorch then wrote a blistering for information and referral services to the community and privately hoping for an anti-Fein- response to the AIDS patients. emergency shelter for displaced AIDS patients,” according to a stein vote somewhere between 30 His response, which one local gay press release from Britt’s office. These residences for homeless and 40 percent, but only succeeded health professional has dubbed AIDS patients were first revealed in The Sentinel (X-7, 3/31/83) in picking up 18.8 percent of the "shocking and insulting,” is now AGNOS PLANS AB1 SEMINAR total vote. in the hands of the signers of the Randy Stallings, president of open letter. While the AIDS pat­ Sacramento, CA — Assemblyman Art Agnos has scheduled a the Alice B. Toklas Memorial ients themselves have decided not one-day seminar open to all supporters of his AB1, the gay rights Democratic Club which supported to release the letter — "We don't employment bill. It'll be held on Saturday; May 21, from 10 A.M. Feinstein, said, "Yesterday's vote want to get into any war of words to 5 P.M. in Room 4202 of the State Capitol in Sacramento. This illustrates that the gay/lesbian with Faul Lorch right now," one is open to all those who'd like to help in the passage of this bill. community prefers rational, pro­ said recently — The Sentinel has For more details. call -Cleve Jones at 557-2253. ductive discourse over unnecessary obtained a copy of the Lorch letter KEEP DAN WHITE IN JAIL and divisive confrontations by from othêr sources. San Francisco. CA — Supervisor Carol Ruth Silver, attomey. refusing to agree in an unfair and In the letter, Lorch responds to John Wahl. Rev. James Sandmire of the Metropolitan Community hysterical recall." the AIDS patients' criticisms by Church ?nd Scott Smith, former lover to slain Supervisor Stallings was visibly angry saying, “What’s more I sçnse that Harvey Milk, have launched a statewide petition drive to revoke Tuesday night over "a political your experiences have failed in the scheduled parole next January'of Dan White, the killer of dirty trick." Someone had distri­ making you bigger men. The Milk and Mayor. George Moscone. The petitions urge Governor buted thousands of copies of a [open] letter reveals a reverse Toklas Club flier supporting Fein­ every precinct in the dty but trend, a trend toward peevishness. .Deukmejian and all appropriate officials "to do everything in one in the Haight, where she lost their power to keep Dan White . in prison for the full length of stein throughout the conservative What a time in your lives to be sections of the city. "Distributing by a single vote margin. without honor. Taken to tattling. \ his sentence, or if he is released on parole, to set the strictest The size of her victory means conditions on that parole." Anyone wishing to circulate petitions gay literature in conservative Exiting with a whimper.” Later neighborhoods had only one supported the recall — but, he that she will probably be unbeat­ Lorch. writes, "With respect to should write Dan White Petition, 584 Castro St., Suite 235, S.F. able for re-election this fall and, 94114. Or call Supervisor Silver's office at 558-2254._________ . purpose — to turn out the anti­ said, it is "obvious that she owes a this community I have paid my gay vote. This cynical example of great deal to the Toklas Club, with all of the national exposure dues - for over 10 years. For gay-baiting is a dangerous move although I don't think this should this recall has given her, Feinstein’s most of the names on your list, taken out of desperation and is . be viewed as a way to negate or vice-presidential prospects are the only thing you have given to especially shocking considering punish the Milk Club." pushed even higher. this Gay life is your calamity." The disagreement between the AIDS patients and the B.A.R. has Paul Lorch’s Response been simmering for some time. Open Letter The patients have been incensed by what they term “sensational" from AIDS Patients coverage of the health crisis, citing stories about AIDS patients who commit suicide (complete with Your letter reporting me to the authorities was forwarded Seems everyone but the Police Chief and myself received suicide note); reprints of "the copies My reaction: theory-of-the-week stories” as Pat l alone am totally responsible for me editorial content of Norman, director of gay/lesbian the paper The point of view is calculated, deliberate health services for the city’s informed. By the standards of an advocacy press, highly responsible and preponderantly on target. I do not write to Department of Health put it at the recent Gay Press Association Weekly, the community is exposed to Paul Lorchs pander to either me living, the dying nor the dead 1 write editorials and headlnes regarding AIDS in the Bay Area to expose, to illuminate.