Subscribe to Breaking NewsTom Duane gives stunning speech on AIDS
Before the New York State Senate closed last week, Sen. Tom Duane, gay and HIV positive, gave an impassioned, riveting speech reminding us all what the AIDS epidemic was at its worst:
“Visiting friends in hospitals. We’d go in. We’d go in one night, in the morning they’d be dead. I’d bring them food. My family, bring them food. My friends bring someone food. But whoever was in bed would be dead before they could eat it. We’d leave it – maybe the nurses would take it home. No! They wouldn’t eat it! ‘Cause it’s contaminated. Contaminated! Wouldn’t touch it. Wouldn’t go into the room. Wearing masks. Gloves! Gowns! Someone gets sick in the afternoon. They’d be dead the next day. Dead! And that went on for months, and then years. Dead! Dead! You think if you got sick and your friends were dying that I would sit there and do nothing? No. But that’s what happened. That’s what happened. Every cold. Every virus. Every temperature. I thought I’d be dead, and so did so many people that I knew. Dead! You think you scare me? You think you can make be back off? Nothing scares me.”
Watch it on Towleroad.
This article opens a great point regarding of this thing. The bill that Senator Jeff Sessions is trying to kill is the Matthew Shepard Act, which would bring any overt violence against homosexuals for their virtue of being so under the umbrella of hate crimes, and be a step towards the recognizing of LGBT civil rights. Apparently, the Senator from Alabama will throw pay day loans and anything else to keep it from happening. Mr. Sessions
appears to want homophobia to be mandatory. It seems no unsecured loans or appeals to reason or humanity will keep Senator Jeff Sessions from his totalitarian bent.
JERRY@SARASOTA Said: July 21st, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Hey Wave…how do you know how the man was infected; do you have a crystal ball or what? Grow up and get back to us…you ************ Freak!
I love watching your freaky mudholing heros ,like freaky freddy mercury,
co- k hudson ,liberiocci,and mr brady ,rot right in front of our eyes.mudholing must be more important to you scum,then life.
Hey Wave…how do you know how the man was infected; do you have a crystal ball or what? Grow up and get back to us…you ************ Freak!
I don’t know why such an emotional outburst was needed. The bill was not even in danger. It passed the NYS Senate 52 to 1. The speech seemed more like personal grandstanding.
I really support economic assistance to people who due to AIDS cannot pay more than 30% of their income for housing. If I were a New York Senator, I would make the case that no one with a serious illness or disability should pay more than 30%.
My heart goes out to AIDS patients, but no more and no less than cancer victims, heart failure patients, dementia patients, MS patients. I don’t consider AIDS a “gay disease”, even if it disproprotionally affects certain types of gay people. It is a human disease. Just like gay people suffer from cancer, MS, etc.
I really wish we would have used this opportunity to ensure that no one suffering from a major disease pay more than 30% of their income for housing. That would build bridges and reach out to all in need. I am sure Mr. Duane meant well, but I thought his speach was theatrical, unnecessary, and in a way selfish towards all other disease sufferers.
Sen. Tom Duane gives one of many reasons why same-sex marriages deserve full legal recognition and rights. Very courageous remarks from a man who may suffer from a physical illness but who lives with great spiritual health.
“WAVE” Your a homophobic jackass! And probably with very little education to boot. Get a life. Try and do something good for someone. You Jerk.
Terry
I’d floss WAVE’s colon… NOT! He might infect me with his stupidity, hatred and ignorance.
>For more info, rent and view “Longtime Companion.”
And “And the Band Played On.” For a lighter depiction of how we were all trying to have lives and eek out enjoyment in the midst of the crisis, rent and view the most excellent “Parting Glances.” (Steve Buscemi *rocks*!)
On the one hand, I’ll never forget the early years of AIDS. First, people died within six months to two years of diagnosis. It wasn’t uncommon to see someone one month when they looked fine, and then you’d see them a month later and they were gaunt or covered in lesions or using a walker. Second, we didn’t know what caused it. There were serious discussions that “it” was in the poppers or that you could get it from kissing. Third, there was this strong, STRONG feeling that the state and federal governments *k*i*n*d*a* *d*i*d*n*’*t* CARE. There was no urgency. And, if they dragged their feet long enough, then this virus might wipe us out in a way where they didn’t have to get their hands covered in blood…they could just sit back and watch it happen.
For more info, rent and view “Longtime Companion.”
Having said that…I question the context in which this guy brought up this topic. If he did it in a way to help people to empathize with a part of history that many straights didn’t know was happening, then that was cool. If he was using it as “proof” that no one can scare him, then he sounds a bit unhinged and over the top.
I can’t imagine what it would’ve been like growing up with the constant threat of AIDs. Sure, its still around today, but at least we’re more knowledgable about it and glbt people are MUCH more visible & accepted. Thank God I was born when I was, and thank God for the heroes who pulled us through such a terrible time.
he should have thought about that,before he started flossing another mans COLON.
SICK FREAKY DEGENERATE.
Back when I was with NYS Crime Victims Board
I well remember my first victim who was a
person with AIDS. A home health worker had
stolen money from a bedridden patient. The
police in the 1st precinct of Manhattan
wouldn’t go to take a report. I went did my
paperwork and then had a friend from the
Anti-Violence Project go to the precinct to
officially report the robbery. It was all
pretty scary back then. Not the disease,
people’s attitudes.