AIDS and Politics

AIDS may have temporarily diverted the gay community from achieving full human and civil rights (“Leaders Fall” by David DeVoss, Jan. 11), yet acquired immune deficiency syndrome has strangely united us as a people just like the survivors of the Holocaust redoubled their efforts not to lose their identity. Gays have educated themselves on how to guard against AIDS. The incidence of infection among gay men in San Francisco is down . . . and this trend will soon manifest itself in Los Angeles since the disease hit the north first.

As a member of several political groups, I have seen memberships skyrocket as gays, lesbians and our friends and families turn mourning into political action. A march on Sacramento is planned for May 7 similar to the highly successful March on Washington in October when 500,000 participated. Los Angeles had 25,000 representatives making it the largest contingent in the nation.

Since not every gay man will contract AIDS, and since lesbians have been completely spared and because 10% of all newborn babies will be homosexual, it’s quite obvious that gay rights activists are here to stay. For life and for love, we’re not going back.

MARSHAL PHILLIPS

Los Angeles