From: AIDSVOTER@aol.com
Date: Sat, 14 Sep 1996 15:47:19 -0400
Subject: Re: Nine arresting calling for Presidential DOMA Veto

ACT UP/LOS ANGELES ZAPS PRESIDENT CLINTON AT HOLLYWOOD GALA!  AIDS
ACTIVISTS CHARGE:  "FOUR YEARS OF BROKEN PROMISES!"

BEVERLY HILLS.  Activists from the Los Angeles chapter of the international
AIDS activist group ACT UP were on the streets Thursday night, September
12, targeting President Clinton at a mega fund-raising gala in glamorous
Beverly Hills.  Charging the President with numerous broken promises to the
U.S. AIDS community, ACT UP unfurled a huge 20 foot banner proclaiming:
"350,000 DEAD FROM AIDS...WAKE UP BILL CLINTON...TIME'S UP."  With signs
proclaiming "Broken Promises Cost Lives" and "What About AIDS?", activists
targeted tinsel town's rich and famous as they arrived at the historic
Harold Lloyd estate on toney Green Acres Drive.  Chants such as "Out of the
limos and into the streets...AIDS cure now," greeted the luminaries
including AIDS Project Los Angeles'(APLA) Steve Tisch and gay Hollywood
mogul David Geffen.  Among the gracious were Shirley Maclaine and lesbian
Assemblywoman Sheila Kuehl.  The not so gracious were Republican supporters
who engaged in boisterous verbal exchanges with ACT UPpers who responded to
their Dole/Kemp chants with "Role Hemp."

ACT UP/LA went to Beverly Hills to let the President know that many in the
AIDS community are angry at his failure to provide the leadership that he
promised in his 1992 campaign.  In a speech in March, 1992, at the Laura
Belle night club in New York, candidate Clinton said that "AIDS...would
become part of my obsession as President."  Speaking to Fred Villanueva on
KTLA Channel 5's News at Ten, ACT UP's J T Anderson told viewers,
"(Clinton) has his own spin on what he has done for AIDS and he tends to
make people think he has done a lot.  But actually, if you study his
record, you will see that he has not.  So we have to continually hound him
to make sure that he does what is needed to stop the pandemic."

ACT UP's Terri Ford, on KNBC Channel 4 News, told reporter Patrick Healey,
"Bill Clinton has completely turned his back on his promises to the AIDS
community."  Candidate Clinton mocked two Reagan/Bush AIDS Commission
reports as "gathering dust."  He pledged to "implement the recommendations
of the AIDS Commissions."  President Clinton has failed to do so and now
has been criticized by an AIDS Commission appointed by him.  At a much
reported gala at the Hollywood Palace in May, 1992, he told a tearful
audience a lesbian and gay supporters, including people with AIDS, "When it
comes to AIDS there should be a Manhattan Project."  There has been no
"cure" action from President Clinton and he refuses to support HR 761(The
AIDS Cure Act), a House bill which would create such a project.

Another key promise at the Palace event was to be the subject of
considerable controversy early in Clinton's first term--the appointment of
a cabinet-level AIDS czar.  Candidate Clinton said, "One person should be
in charge who can cut across all the departments and agencies, who has the
President's ear and the President's arm.  One person who will launch a real
national education campaign.  Someone as forthright as Dr. Koop was."
However, an AIDS czar was never appointed.  An "AIDS Policy Coordinator"
operates from an office above McDonalds.  She does not have direct access
to the President.  KCAL 9 News wondered if the President's proclivity for
hamburgers might give the AIDS official a chance at going downstairs to
talk to the President over a "Big Mac."  "Not likely!" ACT UP's Peter
Cashman told Channel 9.  "The President has been on a major diet for more
than a year, getting ready for the campaign trail."  Cashman went on to
tell KCAL about other major promises that the President has reneged on.
"Clinton pledged to allow federal money to be used for needle exchange
where local communities approve.  There are 62 needle exchange projects
throughout the country and they have had to struggle without any (promised)
federal support.  Numerous scientific reports prove that these 'harm
reduction' programs work.  They reduce the spread of HIV and they do not
increase IV drug usage.  They also provide an opportunity for those who
want to get off drugs to get into a treatment program."  Activists noted
another unfulfilled Clinton promise--drug treatment on demand.

ACT UP activists also addressed other issues in their "Broken Promises Cost
Lives" campaign.  The Clinton/Gore campaign made a commitment to "Lift the
current ban on travel and immigration to the U.S. by foreign nationals with
HIV."  In a stunning about-face which shocked AIDS and healthcare
organizations in the U.S. and around the world, Clinton signed AIDS
discrimination into law with the codification of the ban in June 1993(This
was prior to the 'Don't ask-Don't tell' reversal).  Capitol Hill insiders
charge that the White House's leaking of the intention to lift the ban to the
NEW YORK TIMES was a deliberate 'set up' designed to bait its sponsor Sen.
Jesse Helms.  The Senate took up the challenge and powerful House committee
chairman, LA's Henry Waxman, refused to intercede in the House. Amidst the
'Gays in the Military' furor, the President signed the ban into law, with
little noise from major U.S. AIDS and lesbian and gay groups.

Among those taking part in the ACT UP protest Thursday night was LA AIDS
Healthcare Foundation's Director of Government Affairs Cesar Portillo.  He
raised an urgent issue saying, "Currently there is enormous anxiety in the
AIDS community about the national crisis in funding for medical care for
people with HIV/AIDS.  The promising new drugs cost too much, so more and
more people can't get access to them!"  As Congress gets ready to conclude
its session, there is still not enough federal money to fund the AIDS Drug
Assistance Programs in the coming year.  In response, some states have closed
the programs entirely and other have severely curtailed the schedule of
available AIDS drugs.  Supplemental funding offered by the Clinton
administration is totally inadequate.  LA County estimates that upwards of
$16 million is needed in the next year to provide the new drugs and test to
the uninsured.  Only 65 million additional dollars have been offered for the
entire nation to cover those on Medicaid, Medicare, the partly insured and
the uninsured who need these hopeful treatments.  No response for the
President or Congress.  Time is running out!

Back in Beverly Hills, the Presidential motorcade approached.  ACT
UP.demonstrators hoisted signs higher as the chants notched up a few more
decimals.  Then the motorcade sped up to turn into Green Acres Drive.  The
President gazed out toward the ACT UP banner while the First Lady waved to
ACT UPpers and media on the corner.

Current estimates based on CDC figures indicate that around 200,000 people
will have died of AIDS during Bill Clinton's first term.  That's as many as
died during the entire 12 years of Reagan-Bush.  During the past 4 years,
AIDS became the #1 killer of all Americans 25-44 years of age.  Recent
reports indicate that his will soon enlarge to include those between the ages
of 45-50.  There have been well over 500,000 AIDS cases, 15% of these are
women and 1.5% are children under the age of 13.  There are encouraging signs
of a slowing in the rate of new infections, but danger signs abound--too many
young gay men are testing HIV positive.

ACT UP/LA's Stephanie Boggs, reflecting on the Presidential demonstration,
anquished over the future.  "We need increased funding for more basic
research.  We desperately need a vaccine.  Our education and prevention
programs are still failing to reach their potential due to the actions of
right-wing extremists.  The new drugs offer hope.  Maybe it will be long
term, but we must maintain our efforts.  The AIDS crisis is NOT over!"

For further details contact: 
Peter Cashman (213) 856-9512