Longtime AIDS activist Larry Kramer, a highly-respected godfather of the gay civil rights movement, has just written a scathing anti-Reagan piece for an upcoming issue of the gay magazine, the Advocate. AMERICAblog has received an advance copy of the piece, and all I can say is: No, Larry, tell me what you REALLY think ;-)
In the article, currently titled "Adolf Reagan," Kramer blasts the ex-president for his willful disregard of the plight of people with AIDS during his presidency. (The AIDS epidemic first became known in 1981, at the beginning of Reagan's first term. Reagan reportedly did not give a speech about AIDS until months before he left office in early 1989.)
Kramer's op ed begins in classic pull-no-punches Kramer style:
"Our murderer is dead. The man who murdered more gay people than anyone in the entire history of the world, is dead. More people than Hitler even. In all the tributes to his passing, as I write this two days after his death, not one that I have seen has mentioned this."Kramer also reveals that he was recently asked by People magazine for a quote regarding his views on Reagan:
"People magazine called me for a quote on Reagan's death. 'I wish he had died before he was elected' is what I told them. I wonder what they will run."Finally, Kramer concludes his piece by comparing Reagan to Hitler:
"Hitler knew what he was doing. How could Ronald Reagan not have known what he was doing? But of course no one is writing about this. Reagan too is one of history's gods. So far he has got away with murder."Kramer's full Advocate piece is due to hit the news stands in two weeks. Kudos to the Advocate on this coup.
In related news, read how Reagan's White House spokesman repeatedly joked about AIDS in press conferences from 1982-84.
