Comments on: And the Band Played On… http://firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/ Firedoglake weblog Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:33:07 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Wess http://firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-133109 Wess Wed, 07 Jun 2006 18:44:11 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-133109 <p>I’m Australian and played Rugby League (football) all my School years.<br /> Rugby League is a hard game, forget Grid Iron… Grid Iron is for pansy’s with all their padding and helmets. Rugby League is many, MANY times harder than grid Iron.<br /> Anyway this one guy who played 5/8 for an opposing team was as hard as they come, you could never hurt him enough, he just kept coming, and that in itself used to put the wind up me!! He was a great player and couldn’t be stopped.</p> <p>After we left school he got a job in my town as a Hairdresser and was gay…Not just gay but outragously, flaming gay… haha … All the guy’s who played footy against him couldn’t believe it. But we knew where he had come from and respected him all the same ….. Aaahhh … the 80’s…</p> I’m Australian and played Rugby League (football) all my School years.
Rugby League is a hard game, forget Grid Iron… Grid Iron is for pansy’s with all their padding and helmets. Rugby League is many, MANY times harder than grid Iron.
Anyway this one guy who played 5/8 for an opposing team was as hard as they come, you could never hurt him enough, he just kept coming, and that in itself used to put the wind up me!! He was a great player and couldn’t be stopped.

After we left school he got a job in my town as a Hairdresser and was gay…Not just gay but outragously, flaming gay… haha … All the guy’s who played footy against him couldn’t believe it. But we knew where he had come from and respected him all the same ….. Aaahhh … the 80’s…

]]> By: Laura Strand http://firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-133057 Laura Strand Wed, 07 Jun 2006 18:01:58 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-133057 <p>Christie,<br /> Please accept my condolences for your loss. I too have been on the receiving end of tender loving care from gay men - men who saw in me what others didn’t or wouldn’t. I too have lost men near and dear to my heart. My special man - Tom Healy of Oil City Penn., came into my life and made me a better person. He died in 1996 and I mourn his loss to this day. I worked in the 80’s at the Safeway in Guerneville CA, which is or was the west coast Mecca for gays and lesbians. You could see the effects of the epidemic daily, as well as the response to it both the Fred Phelps type and the angels of our better nature - the compassion, the pitching in, doing what we can like Open Hand, Face to Face, PAWS and other, less official kinds of assistance.<br /> I too, cried on the 25th anniversary, for Tom, for others, and for our community - denied the talents and fun, and bravery of those who choose to be who they are and without dependence on the approval of others.</p> Christie,
Please accept my condolences for your loss. I too have been on the receiving end of tender loving care from gay men – men who saw in me what others didn’t or wouldn’t. I too have lost men near and dear to my heart. My special man – Tom Healy of Oil City Penn., came into my life and made me a better person. He died in 1996 and I mourn his loss to this day. I worked in the 80’s at the Safeway in Guerneville CA, which is or was the west coast Mecca for gays and lesbians. You could see the effects of the epidemic daily, as well as the response to it both the Fred Phelps type and the angels of our better nature – the compassion, the pitching in, doing what we can like Open Hand, Face to Face, PAWS and other, less official kinds of assistance.
I too, cried on the 25th anniversary, for Tom, for others, and for our community – denied the talents and fun, and bravery of those who choose to be who they are and without dependence on the approval of others.

]]> By: anonymous friend http://firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-132488 anonymous friend Wed, 07 Jun 2006 03:54:13 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-132488 <p>#154 again<br /> is everyone at this site on the aids bandwagon?<br /> not a plug for the repugs, nor from an EPU, but for .b.a.l.a.n.c.e. see:<br /> <a href="http://www.harpers.org/OutOfControl.html">http://www.harpers.org/OutOfControl.html</a></p> #154 again
is everyone at this site on the aids bandwagon?
not a plug for the repugs, nor from an EPU, but for .b.a.l.a.n.c.e. see:
http://www.harpers.org/OutOfControl.html

]]> By: couldbeanyone http://firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-132456 couldbeanyone Wed, 07 Jun 2006 03:38:26 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-132456 <p>Christy:</p> <p>I see you typing your memories, holding back the tears, laughing sometimes at an idle remembrance. And then not until you finish, and read what you’ve written, letting go.</p> <p>Thank you.</p> Christy:

I see you typing your memories, holding back the tears, laughing sometimes at an idle remembrance. And then not until you finish, and read what you’ve written, letting go.

Thank you.

]]> By: Avedon http://firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-132406 Avedon Wed, 07 Jun 2006 03:00:51 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-132406 <p>I’ve lost track of two of my closest friends from highschool since I moved. I tried to find them and couldn’t, and I used to hope they’d call, and then I was afraid they’d call - to say good-bye.</p> I’ve lost track of two of my closest friends from highschool since I moved. I tried to find them and couldn’t, and I used to hope they’d call, and then I was afraid they’d call – to say good-bye.

]]> By: Mike http://firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-132354 Mike Wed, 07 Jun 2006 01:44:33 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-132354 <p>Three or four years before the AIDS epidemic began, I attempted to change the non-discrimination clause in my institution’s catalogue to include “sexual orientation”. The change was blocked by the director of admissions who argued that such language would have a negative effect upon applications. Within ten years of that date, I was learning of the deaths of students of mine to this horrible scourge, and of fellow members of a gay-accepting Anglican congregation as well. </p> <p>The disease may not be cured. But now my institution pledges not to discriminate against faculty or students on the basis of sexual orientation, my parish is still gay accepting, and I believe with all my heart that history will condemn those who speak such hatred, whether arising from fear or from cynical pandering to the fears of others. My students, my friends, were very ordinary and very lovable people. They were the noble ones, not these hollow politicians posturing as if they mean signify anything of importance.</p> Three or four years before the AIDS epidemic began, I attempted to change the non-discrimination clause in my institution’s catalogue to include “sexual orientation”. The change was blocked by the director of admissions who argued that such language would have a negative effect upon applications. Within ten years of that date, I was learning of the deaths of students of mine to this horrible scourge, and of fellow members of a gay-accepting Anglican congregation as well.

The disease may not be cured. But now my institution pledges not to discriminate against faculty or students on the basis of sexual orientation, my parish is still gay accepting, and I believe with all my heart that history will condemn those who speak such hatred, whether arising from fear or from cynical pandering to the fears of others. My students, my friends, were very ordinary and very lovable people. They were the noble ones, not these hollow politicians posturing as if they mean signify anything of importance.

]]> By: Joel http://firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-132124 Joel Tue, 06 Jun 2006 22:23:06 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-132124 <p>Bush’s speech is an affront to all the dear friends and family we have lost to this disease. Thanks, Christy, for reminding us what’s important.</p> Bush’s speech is an affront to all the dear friends and family we have lost to this disease. Thanks, Christy, for reminding us what’s important.

]]> By: Bernie68 http://firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-132096 Bernie68 Tue, 06 Jun 2006 21:56:51 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-132096 <p>R.I.P. to my friends………</p> <p>Christopher Deane<br /> Steven Andrew Merino<br /> Jack Anton<br /> Joe Drabelle<br /> and too many more.</p> R.I.P. to my friends………

Christopher Deane
Steven Andrew Merino
Jack Anton
Joe Drabelle
and too many more.

]]> By: MsAnnaNOLA http://firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-132070 MsAnnaNOLA Tue, 06 Jun 2006 21:29:23 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-132070 <p>Sorry for the double post…it said there was an error. Apologies.</p> Sorry for the double post…it said there was an error. Apologies.

]]> By: MsAnnaNOLA http://firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-132069 MsAnnaNOLA Tue, 06 Jun 2006 21:28:45 +0000 http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/06/06/and-the-band-played-on/#comment-132069 <p>Please everyone do remember that not only gays are affected by this disease. My uncle died in the early nineties, he passed it on to my aunt before he found out he had it. I don’t know how he got it, but my aunt is now a heterosexual widow, mother of two and is living with HIV. She doesn’t hold down a normal job but she is almost a full time care giver for my grandmother aged 93. That is more than a full time job to me. </p> <p>There is so much stigma, I rarely talk about it. A good friend that is lesbian made a comment about losing someone to the disease once and I said to her “I know how you feel, my uncle…” we had known each other for years and she was very surprised I had not mentioned it. Our whole family assumed that she would die soon and we never talked about it. He died in 1994, twelve years ago. Yes there have been advances, but those medicines are not fun. They are debilitating. You never know if you are going to have a good day or a bad day. I guess it is better than dying though. I am just glad she is here for her mother, my grandmother. No doubt she would probably have to live in a home otherwise. Being at home in your old age is much better. </p> <p>The imperitive I take away from this is prevention. That is why the pope and anti-condom gang make me so mad. It is immoral to advise people not to use condoms. Condoms prevent death by AIDS. Period.</p> Please everyone do remember that not only gays are affected by this disease. My uncle died in the early nineties, he passed it on to my aunt before he found out he had it. I don’t know how he got it, but my aunt is now a heterosexual widow, mother of two and is living with HIV. She doesn’t hold down a normal job but she is almost a full time care giver for my grandmother aged 93. That is more than a full time job to me.

There is so much stigma, I rarely talk about it. A good friend that is lesbian made a comment about losing someone to the disease once and I said to her “I know how you feel, my uncle…” we had known each other for years and she was very surprised I had not mentioned it. Our whole family assumed that she would die soon and we never talked about it. He died in 1994, twelve years ago. Yes there have been advances, but those medicines are not fun. They are debilitating. You never know if you are going to have a good day or a bad day. I guess it is better than dying though. I am just glad she is here for her mother, my grandmother. No doubt she would probably have to live in a home otherwise. Being at home in your old age is much better.

The imperitive I take away from this is prevention. That is why the pope and anti-condom gang make me so mad. It is immoral to advise people not to use condoms. Condoms prevent death by AIDS. Period.

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