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Bob Kunst on Aids:
Let me start with my own credentials in
this matter. I founded "Cure Aids Now," which was the model of care
and a one stop center to keep our indigent clients alive and out of the hospitals.
We raised $5 million with a support network that included feeding 2000 clients
of every walk of life.
My very first protest on this matter took place in 1985 at the Reagan-Gorbachev
Summit in Geneva, Switzerland, with my stand to "Commit missile monies
to Cure Aids Now." This was not just for my group, but to raise an international
consciousness to recognize the multiple viruses, mutations, incubation period,
and angst over sexuality across the globe that would cost millions of lives.
I ran for the U.S. Senate in Fla. in 1986 against Bob Graham, who wouldn't
fund Aids monies for the crisis in Florida. 50% of the Aids cases in S. Fla.
were heterosexual and not I.V. drug related. I would get 150,000 Democrats
to agree with me, with only a $5000 budget to send out this alert.
In 1990, I would organize 3000 to march in Houston at the "G-7"
Summit of World Leaders that George Bush Sr. hosted as President. In
1991, we presented our case at "G-7, " plus to the Soviet Union
at their Summit in London. Only at this "G-8" Summit in Genoa,
did they finally offer $1billion to deal with Aids after 22 million had died.
"Cure Aids Now" was an internationally recognized model agency that
had the President's Council on Aids see our efforts in person. We did over
4000 news interviews, as the 'ombudsmen' agency, on behalf of our clients
who got better treatment and service than most who had insurance. Peter Jennings
featured us in an Aids special, among our many interviews.
Yet everywhere we had to fight the SYSTEM of INCOMPETENTS and the Greedy,
more interested in building their empires than in keeping anyone alive.
We did the largest turnout in the Black Community of over 400 at the Joseph
Caleb Center in 1987. It was the largest in the nation and we did it with
WEDR Radio. Did anyone help us to continue this effort in the African-American
Community? NO! When we had the most significant outreach to the Hispanic
Community and the #1 booth in Calle Ocho to validate both our committments
and credibility there, did we get any support to continue this pursuit? No!
When we challenged Jackson-Memorial Hospital and Public Health Trust on why
they were taking Aids monies and spending it on their other programs, while
treating our clients with such indifference, all we got from Ira Clark, was
for us not to take it personal, and that they treat everyone the same way.
This meant that nobody was getting any real care and that to unravel the Aids
disaster would mean changing the whole system of the delivery of care. Cure
Aids Now maximized impact and was the most cost effective agency. But
did they care? NO!
Of course, Metro could care less about handling Aids, and we were there weekly
for five years in a row, alerting them about this Aids crisis only to have
them shuttle the whole thing
away from their eyes into that of Public Health Trust's scam.
Cure Aids Now got $300,000 from Metro when we had 75 clients to feed and we
still had the same amount when we had over 600 clients to feed weekly.
They didn't give a damn then and don't now.
When we wanted to do testing the Public Health Dept. turned a blind eye. So
we went to Dr. Lionel Resnick to set up a massive testing program, combined
with case management and counseling to deal with both prevention and care.
When Ira Clark is introduced, Rep. Meek praises him as her "HERO",
which ignores his corruption on this horror and he was too cowardly to even
stay for this Summit to state anything.
So the 500 in attendance and your 50 panelists, were just a tragic publicity
stunt and political farce with little to no substance.
If 5 of those speakers were of consequence, it would have been a miracle.
So when Oral Majority was making these very same pleas back in 1987 and today
this gang is asking the exact same things, with no efforts made to resolve
any of it, how can anyone grasp this other than a charade of the worst kind?
The incompetence we saw back then was so evident at the recent Aids Summit
in Miami.
Where was the delivery of service to those in need?
Why is there is disconnect with the clients?
Where is the client activism with case management or treatment on all of these
panels and boards?
Why is medicade a failure? Of course Jeb Bush is refusing to do matching funds
with drugs to keep Aids folks alive
Where are the monies from CDC?
We were in the prisons back in 1987 doing counseling and no one wanted to
deal with these issues among the authorities. Today the prisons only have
money to test someone as they are about to re-enter the general community,
and not when they first enter prison. But then you don't want to even discuss
that prisoners have sex.
How many folks are getting into trouble just to get into jail where the care
may be better than on the outside, on a host of health care issues?
Where is the media in all of this, but doing the usual cover-ups, or the usual
fundraisers, but not giving out this real info, and really charging the guilty
with these crimes against humanity.
The history of Aids is neglect, indifference and denial, besides the abuses
described above.
The Licence to Discriminate has led to the License to Murder.
This conference was doing the Black thing, The Hispanic Thing, the Haitian
Thing, and everything, but the AIDS THING!
How dishonest can you get? How many more folks are you willing to sacrifice
playing this montrous game?
In 1986, 50% of the cases in Miami were Heterosexual, not IV drug related
and that figure today is 54%.
I was at the Vatican Aids Conference in 1989 and shook hands with the Pope.
I gave him a "Curate La Sida Hahora" button (Cure Aids Now in Italian).
I was appalled at the 3 days of Gay Bashing at this conference, without concern
for the viruses while these politics prevailed.
Now 22 million lives lost later, we see Catholic Bishops in Africa still refusing
to offer condoms, while 80% of their victims are heterosexual,and still playing
this game of genocide and indifference.
The State Health Care efforts are minimal for the 100,000 cases statewide.
Rationing Care and who lives and who dies, is part of your politics that is
so shameful and I assure you as Governor in Fla.,I will dramatically change
this, not only for Aids, but the whole health care crisis.
Having a big mouth, is why I was illegally fired from what I founded and was
many years ahead of my time in demanding care and treatment for.
"Exceptionally cleared" was the statement after being totally investigated
from the trumped up charge from the Miami Herald, which also supported Anita
Bryant and Jerry Falwell's anti-Gay Witchhunt that I led the opposition to
also.
I'm glad to say one thing. I still have a big mouth and still have a conscience
and after all these many years, nothing has changed from what we were demanding
then, except the number.
Nothing has ever replaced "Cure Aids Now," except you have more
crisis and many
more incompetents in charge of it.
Copyright 2001 kunstforgov.com
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