Reagan opposed a California initiative <http://www.theliberaloc.com/2008/06/09/ronald-reagan-on-gay-rights/> to prohibit gays and lesbians from teaching in public schools — but his refusal to speak out about the HIV/AIDS epidemic contributed to the deaths of thousands of Americans and devastated the gay and lesbian community.
Reagan — who during his 1980 campaign said that society cannot “condone” the “alternative” gay “lifestyle” — could have chosen to end the homophobic rhetoric that flowed from his administration and most ardent supporters. The Moral Majority’s Rev. Jerry Falwell claimed that “AIDS is the wrath of God upon homosexuals <http://articles.sfgate.com/2004-06-08/opinion/17428849_1_aids-in-san-francisco-aids-research-education-cases>,” and Reagan’s communications director Pat Buchanan said AIDS is “nature’s revenge on gay men.” “The poor homosexuals — they havedeclared war upon nature <http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2011/05/24/177440/buchanan-aids/>, and now nature is exacting an awful retribution,” Buchanan wrote in a 1983 op-ed for the New York Post, concluding that homosexuals should not be permitted to handle food and that the Democratic party’s decision to hold their next convention in San Francisco would leave delegates’ spouses and children at the mercy of “homosexuals who belong to a community that is a common carrier of dangerous, communicable and sometimes fatal diseases.” Dr. C. Everett Koop, Reagan’s surgeon general, later explained that “intradepartmental politics” kept Reagan out of all AIDS discussions for the first five years of the administration “because transmission of AIDS was understood to be primarily in the homosexual population <http://articles.sfgate.com/2004-06-08/opinion/17428849_1_aids-in-san-francisco-aids-research-education-cases/2> and in those who abused intravenous drugs.” The president’s advisers, Koop said, “took the stand, ‘They are only getting what they justly deserve.'” In light of this history, the LGBT civil rights organization GetEQUAL has organized a protest <http://blogs.phillymag.com/gphilly/2011/09/07/gop-debate-protest-today/> around today’s debate, calling for the GOP candidates to evolve beyond the homophobia of the Reagan years. On Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at 1:07:15 PM UTC-5, Bruce Majors wrote: > > Though DOMA was created by a democrat president > > And Reagan stopped the Briggs initiative > > And Harvey milk started as a GoldWater republican > > On Tuesday, May 24, 2016, plainolamerican <[email protected] > <javascript:>> wrote: > >> Not that I feel the need to praise the GOP establishment >> --- >> the GOP is to lgbt's as 'the devil' is to xians. >> >> On Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at 8:39:31 AM UTC-5, Bruce Majors wrote: >>> >>> Not that I feel the need to praise the GOP establishment, but far from >>> power hungry they seem to mainly be the willing butt boys of power hungry >>> democrats, licking boots for table scraps >>> >>> On Tuesday, May 24, 2016, Keith In Tampa <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Rest assured Geoffrey, Bruce's comment is in response to Plain Ol's >>>> disturbing observation(s); in concert with what you said.... >>>> >>>> On Tue, May 24, 2016 at 6:14 AM, geoffrey theist <[email protected]> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> The way your reply came up Bruce I can't tell if you are responding to >>>>> me or plain ole. But if to me. I think the whole narrative shows >>>>> Zimmerman >>>>> as someone capitalizing on selling a gun at a grossly inflated price due >>>>> to >>>>> lts news worthiness because a thirty year old man with a gun couldn't >>>>> control an unarmed teenager. >>>>> On May 24, 2016 3:10 AM, "Bruce Majors" <[email protected]> >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Especially since they are a figment of your imagination >>>>>> >>>>>> On Monday, May 23, 2016, plainolamerican <[email protected]> >>>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> I don't see how this news item could help the cause of white power >>>>>>> hungry republicans. >>>>>>> --- >>>>>>> it's encouragement to slam blacks and promote gun possession. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Friday, May 20, 2016 at 6:47:05 PM UTC-5, gtheist957 wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Have to disagree with you there plain Ole I don't see how this news >>>>>>>> item could help the cause of white power hungry republicans. Just the >>>>>>>> opposite I think. >>>>>>>> On May 20, 2016 9:21 AM, "plainolamerican" <[email protected]> >>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Why is this moron in the news again? >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> --- >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> because white power hungry republicans like to see one their own >>>>>>>>> get away with killing a nigger. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> On Thursday, May 19, 2016 at 5:46:12 PM UTC-5, gtheist957 wrote: >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> Why is this moron in the news again? >>>>>>>>>> On May 19, 2016 10:04 AM, "plainolamerican" <[email protected]> >>>>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> maybe he'll buy another one to shoot himself with. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> On Thursday, May 19, 2016 at 9:34:53 AM UTC-5, Travis wrote: >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> https://www.buzzfeed.com/claudiakoerner/george-zimmerman-auctions-gun-used-to-kill-trayvon-martin-fo?utm_term=.mx1Kdzyvy#.th141GVjV >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>>>>> Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. >>>>>>>>>>> For options & help see >>>>>>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ >>>>>>>>>>> * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. >>>>>>>>>>> * Read the latest breaking news, and more. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> --- >>>>>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the >>>>>>>>>>> Google Groups "PoliticalForum" group. >>>>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from >>>>>>>>>>> it, send an email to [email protected]. >>>>>>>>>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>>> Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. >>>>>>>>> For options & help see >>>>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ >>>>>>>>> * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. >>>>>>>>> * Read the latest breaking news, and more. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> --- >>>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>>>> Groups "PoliticalForum" group. >>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >>>>>>>>> send an email to [email protected]. >>>>>>>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. >>>>>>> For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum >>>>>>> >>>>>>> * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ >>>>>>> * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. >>>>>>> * Read the latest breaking news, and more. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> --- >>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>> Groups "PoliticalForum" group. >>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >>>>>>> send an email to [email protected]. >>>>>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> -- >>>>>> Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. >>>>>> For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum >>>>>> >>>>>> * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ >>>>>> * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. >>>>>> * Read the latest breaking news, and more. >>>>>> >>>>>> --- >>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>> Groups "PoliticalForum" group. >>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >>>>>> send an email to [email protected]. >>>>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> -- >>>>> Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. >>>>> For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum >>>>> >>>>> * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ >>>>> * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. >>>>> * Read the latest breaking news, and more. >>>>> >>>>> --- >>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>> Groups "PoliticalForum" group. >>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>>> an email to [email protected]. >>>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> -- >>>> Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. >>>> For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum >>>> >>>> * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ >>>> * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. >>>> * Read the latest breaking news, and more. >>>> >>>> --- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups "PoliticalForum" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>> an email to [email protected]. >>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>> >>> -- >> -- >> Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. >> For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum >> >> * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ >> * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. >> * Read the latest breaking news, and more. >> >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "PoliticalForum" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > -- -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "PoliticalForum" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
