Dear Lucas,
If there is one thing I’ve learned in the past 34 years, it’s that speaking your mind can make you very, very unpopular.
A reporter once called me the angriest gay man in the world — and it stuck. I took it as a compliment.
The beginning of the epidemic was a time of rampant homophobia and paranoia. People were terribly misinformed and said ludicrous things about people with AIDS.
The early days of the epidemic were also a time of great energy … of a community rallying together for the greater good. This collective effort was unprecedented and exciting, and we had no choice but to fight. Our lives and the lives of everyone we loved were on the line.
We have made significant progress since the 80’s, but these changes aren’t enough …
AIDS still ravages too many lives, and we are a community that still needs to band together.
I realized that Kelsey, the CEO of GMHC, and I share a vision when he said to me, “We must aspire to a cure once and for all. We must demand it and a society that values people with HIV enough to pay for it. Only if we aspire to more can we demand more. Only if we demand more will we get more.”
I salute you for giving generously to my first child—GMHC, and I ask that you stay loyal and strong. I ask that you advocate for those who can’t speak for themselves, because we’re all in this battle together.
Thank you,
Larry Kramer
GMHC Co-Founder
P.S.
The fight is not over. Help those living with HIV and AIDS, by making a
contribution to GMHC today. Thank you.