Hillary Clinton Praises Nancy Reagan for ‘Effective, Low-Key Advocacy' on HIV/AIDS

[closeupready]

Having had friends die of AIDS over the last 30 years*, knowing that research on treatments was stymied by the hostility of the Reagan administration to gay people and issues of concern to them, I have to admit this statement really makes me angry. And consider Rock Hudson's death - how could you ignore his appeals for help, having once called him a friend and knowing you could do something that may have helped him survive or lessen his pain?

Praise Nancy Reagan for her attempt to fight drug abuse, sure, praise her for advocacy on Alzheimers, sure. NOT on HIV/AIDS conversation.

Speaking before Nancy Reagan’s funeral on Friday, Hillary Clinton praised Nancy Reagan for her “effective, low-key advocacy” on HIV/AIDS during her husband’s presidency.

Clinton called to mind “how difficult it was to talk about HIV/AIDS” in the 80s and credited both Nancy and Ronald Reagan with helping to start a “national conversation” on the disease.

Said Clinton,

“And because of both President and Mrs. Reagan–in particular Mrs. Reagan–we started a national conversation when before nobody would talk about it, nobody wanted to do anything about it. And you know that too is something that I really appreciate with her very effective, low-key advocacy but it penetrated the public conscience. And people began to say, ‘Hey, we have to do something about this too.'”

Clinton’s praise for the Reagan record comes in stark contrast to the thunderous choir of voices in the LGBT community who have criticized both Nancy and Ronald Reagan for their ineptitude and silence on HIV/AIDS. Just today, The Guardian published a piece titled “The First Lady Who Looked Away” about the many activists on the forefront of the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 80s who believe the Reagans turned “a blind eye” to the plight.

http://www.towleroad.com/2016/03/hillary-clinton-praises-reagan-record/

* I add in editing this includes people here in DU's GLBT forum.

[montanacowboy]

1. OMG

I have no words....

praised for "low-key".....

Hey LGBT Groups - how do you like her now?

[revbones]

2. Hillary supporters won't care

To them it's all about what she said most recently that they agree with, even if it contradicts something she says later or earlier.

[Amimnoch]

6. The fuck they won't.

I've just done a 180. In the last hour i've vometed and cried i'm so disgusted and disheartened.

[revbones]

7. If I understand correctly and you've switched from supporting Hillary to Bernie

then welcome. You will enjoy the side of someone that has been consistent all their lives. Even as far back as 32+ years ago

http://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2015/06/30/32-years-before-scotus-decision-sanders-backed-gay-pride-march

[Raster]

3. I lost most of my dearest friends to the plague...

...due largely in part to the Raygun's refusal to not only NOT DEAL WITH THE CRISIS, INCLUDING NOT EVEN SAYING THE WORD "AIDS" until their Hollywood buddy was at death's door.

Sorry Hillary: The Rayguns did nothing to help solve the crisis, and in fact, did quite a few things to prolong the crisis. Take your revisionist history elsewhere. Just another reason you cannot be trusted with my vote.

[SusanCalvin]

10. "until their Hollywood buddy"

Yep. Republicans don't care until it happens to them. Then they've always cared. It's a repeating pattern.

[leftofcool]

4. Ron Reagan feels differently

But, he is just her son so I am sure his opinion won't matter.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/nancy-reagan/2011/01/other-headline-9.html

[Raster]

5. His opinion of his mother does matter, of course.

HOWEVER, the vast majority of persons involved on the front line of the AIDS crisis - of which I am one - have no such charitable view of the Reagans. In fact, quite the opposite.

My condolences for Ron Reagan's loss - I like Ron and have a GREAT DEAL OF RESPECT FOR THE MAN. His mother and father, not so much.

[SusanCalvin]

11. Ditto. nt

[MNBrewer]

8. Based on her non-apology apology

yes, Hillary, we forget how difficult it was to speak about Alzheimer's disease in the 1980's, don't we? Facing the stigma, the isolation, the neglect and outright hostility from the government and other influential segments of society.

I can hardly believe that it too soo long for Congress to even designate the first Alzheimer's Disease Awareness month in 1983.

[solemandd67]

9. RE: Based on her non-apology apology

Last edited Sat Mar 12, 2016, 12:56 AM - Edit history (1)

This is why I just shake my head in disgust at Gays who scream "Hillary" like she's Streisand.
I lost my first lover to AIDS. I was a Navy Hospital Corpsman from 1983-89 and a civilian nurse in San Diego and San Francisco. OMG! The many patients, friends and acquaintances that are GONE. I'm almost 52 and somehow escaped it. How can anyone forget the Reagan Indifference?.....Unless they're just a political prostitute willing to say anything for power.

[backscatter712]

12. Hillary really screwed the pooch on this one.

What she said was mind-bogglingly stupid!

It's like praising Rick Snyder's leadership on the Flint water crisis.

[Fearless]

13. This is what happens when people USE us as political weapons.

How do you feel about her trying to score points with independent/conservative voters by slighting us?

By LYING or by being so IGNORANT of US that she would parrot this bullshit?

I'm waiting.

[LostOne4Ever]

14. And thing like this just convince me more and more that she will throw LGBTQ+ issues under the bus

[font style="font-family:'Georgia','Baskerville Old Face','Helvetica',fantasy;" size=4 color=#009999]Though this one affects me personally. My late father was one of the people who Caught AIDS in the 1980's.

The Reagans had blood on their hands, and no-one should in any way praise them for their reaction to AIDS. [/font]