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(Ed. Note: While neither Henderson nor McKinney got the death penalty (though the latter could have, had he not plea bargained), the issues addressed herein still apply on a broader scale).
Does the gay community value mercy or revenge?
Do we imprison the murderers of Matthew Sheppard in the name of decency and compassion or are we going to sink to the level of a lynch mob and fall for a Republican political ploy? (Ed. Note: I don't remember too many Republicans taking a public position on the Sheppard case; even Buchanan kept his mouth shut, for which small mercies may we be grateful).
The unhappy truth is that queers have been bashed in Wyoming even under the present governor's tenure. (Ed. Note: Much as I generally think hate crime legislation is problematic (not for the free speech thing, but because it tends to be used against minorities first), I think such laws might pose a SLIGHT deterrent in a state that has NO hate-crime laws at all, let alone ones that protect gays.) This evokes the realization that the governor, while maybe shocked by the cruelty of the murder, is still using it as a political ploy as a result of the media attention the murder received. It's hard to believe otherwise, since he is planning to campaign for Governor in the year 2000, and the election is less than a year away.
Even if you're for capital punishment, you can understand that it's wrong to use it as a political ploy as being 'tough on crime'; that is an abuse. (Ed. Note: One would certainly hope the hand on the switch is not shaking with testosterone or macho posturing...).
Bill Clinton profited from such action; fearful of losing Arkansas' governorship by being accused of being 'soft on crime', he had an Afro-American man (who, by the later admission of the prosecution, was probably unfit to face trial) put to death. The man even saved a piece of pecan pie from his last meal for when he returned from the electric chair, as he and most commentators thought he would.
Since his crime was raping and murdering a white woman, the 'race' button could be hit in all sorts of interesting ways (Ed. Note: the Right is many things, but simple and linear are not among them).
While the man's mother forgave Clinton, he and the people of Arkansas wanted blood, and got it.
Capital punishment, at least in the States, is not cheaper than life in prison. Because of the backlog in the appeals system, it would be the year 2014 at least before all those on death row could be executed (Ed. Note: and, of course, subsequent cases would clog it up even further...personally, I think it's a good thing to make the system unworkable...).
Capital punishment is also racist, classist and sexist. In any country that practices it, the rich or political elite rarely get executed, but the poor and common folks do. Minorities in any society are more likely to be executed (Afro-Americans fill half the death row cells in the U.S., but make up only 12% of the population). It is sexist - more men are likely to be executed than women. Admittedly, men commit more murders than women. (Ed. Note: I'm not sure correcting this form of sexism is very productive. It should also be pointed out that Aileen Wournos, a dyke prostitute who killed some johns, was rushed through prosecution into execution, so there is at least ONE case where being a woman (and a dyke) came as a distinct disadvantage...).
Capital punishment does not deter crime; most criminals operate on the principle that they aren't going to get caught and at any rate can plea bargain or appeal away their sentence.
It is food for thought that the U.S. Supreme Court in 1972 ruled that capital punishment was cruel and unusual, even if that decision was overturned later.
Which brings us back to the loss of moral ground that the gay community will suffer if it goes along with the possible execution of the murderers. (Ed. Note: There was certainly a lot of call for it in the community. Since the rational part of my mind is unconditionally opposed to capital punishment, like Robert, I was disappointed, but, sadly, not surprised.)
For those lynch mob queens, remember that the murderers are victims of fate, the mass media and politics. (Ed. Note: I'd balk a bit at 'victims'. Products, perhaps - but they still had the free will to do what they did...inexcusable, but, then, so is the State's holy bloody hands when it decides to murder in the chair...)
Enjoy your ignominious prize of revenge, because I won't!
It is nearly twenty years on in the battle against AIDS, but myths remain and multiply.
I am not speaking of such rumours as you can get it from giving blood or from mosquitoes,
since most people know better. Nor will I address the notion of its being God’s
judgement, as that falls in the area of interpretation.
For some time, it has been possible to refute the myth it is a gay disease by citing
statistics that the highest rate of new infections is among heterosexual women, aged
18-25. It is nothing to rejoice in, but it is a fact.
However, after years of dropping numbers, reported cases among young gay men are rising.
Why might this be? As I see it, there are several possibilities:
(1) AIDS FATIGUE - It has been argued by some that the weight of education is too heavy,
and has led to shutting out of facts and figures, not to mention fatalism. This is an
argument for more engaging strategies on all levels.
(2) THE MEDIA - It is trendy to media-bash, and I am not going to do so to the exclusion
of other factors, but there are things to consider.
(A) ADS - Ads for AIDS medicine depict healthy, attractive individuals , just as diet ads
use the thin and clothes ads show people of unreal sizes and body shapes. On some level,
is this sending the message you can still be a hunk (or supermodel), even in the face of
eventual debilitating illness? Those who have known someone in AIDS’ final stages
know this is not a truthful impression, but visual images are irrational and persuasive,
and the average gay youth does not know anyone with full-blown AIDS, given the age divide
in gay culture.
(B) THE CURE IS AT HAND - Since at least 1986, there have been announcements to this
effect. This brings up hopes and encourages reckless behaviour in some, since people think
there will be a remedy. It is cruel to stomp on optimism, but, as AIDS is a SYNDROME
leaving one open to other diseases, caused by a mutating virus, I doubt the solution is
near.
AND THIS LEADS TO
(C) CALLS FOR REDUCED FUNDING - Recently, I have seen two investigative journalism pieces
and one phone-in show on how AIDS gets massive funding, while other diseases like breast
cancer get less. This is divide-and-rule, if understandable given health spending
cutbacks, but it would be best for health activists to link up and call for more
investment in general. Obviously, less money would cut the chances of a cure or better
treatment.
Another factor is that many youth feel immortal, and don’t think infection will
happen to them. While the odds are surprisingly low in unprotected intercourse, you never
know when you’ll be that statistic. Is more sensation worth less sensation (i.e.
death)?
Let us assume both partners are HIV+. Does that mean protection is unnecessary? You
can’t get infected twice, can you?
You can. If the partners have different strains of the virus, a version can be transmitted
that is immune to medication one partner needs, since HIV ‘learns’.
One article cannot cover all factors that make up AIDS education, and I am no expert, so I
would suggest, if you want more information, you contact your local AIDS organization or
street health workers, as appropriate and possible.
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