GAY PLAGUE' hysteria is the latest, and sharpest, in a whole series of ideological assaults on sexual rights mounted by the establishment. Before Immune Deficiency Syndrome, came the publication of the reactionary Warnock Report, mum Kim recent bill to restrict experiments on foetuses.
These are part and parcel of a concerted effort to turn back the clock on advances won by women and gays during the 1960s and '70s, and to reassert the sanctity of the family. One headline after another 'dangers' of gay sex, with scant regard for the facts.
AIDS is a new disease in the West. It was discovered among New York's gay community in 1980, and has since been Australia, France, Belgium and orgins have been traced to where, sexual epidemic. holidaying in Haiti brought it first to America and then to Europe.
Despite its more a is a soldier's. AIDS is a virus transmitted in the bloodstream — which is why intravenous drug users sharing transtusco wim cloune ractor-o nave also been identified as sufferers.
Neither is the transmission of the virus a guarantee that the syndrome develops. In fact only 10 per cent or less people who contraci the virus later develop AIDS. What Is established is the high fatality risk - in the States, 8495 cases have so far been identified, over 4000 have died - and that almost no money is being put into research.
Medics say that the most effective way at present to combat the virus and the hysteria is better education. But the Health Education Council has spent an insignificant £500 sponsoring a AIDS in 1982, and has only just published a short pamphlet.
Political reaction - in both senses of the word! - crosses the parliamentary benches. When health minister announced he Labour's front bench spokesperson, Meacher, was immediate action.
Far from against the gay ferers who are the victims — of a press hatecampaign, lack of medical expertise, and lack of resources.
It is in the interest of the whole labour movement to protect the gay community from these attacks. Litte is known. and even less is being done by the government or the medical establishment, to discover effective detection tests and treatments. Fifty people in Britain have already died, but the government has only allocateo a research.
The strength of feeling whipped up against gay plague will against women, black people, Irish, and trade unionists.
The example of Manchester council is one to be followed. When threatened by a strike of town hall staff demanding separate toilet facilities for gays, the Labour council distributed a copy of the Health Education Council's pamphiet to every household in Manchester The equal opportunities committee issued a statement saying that AIDS: 'affects different groups and should not be used to attack the lifestyle and rights of gay men. The council will not allow panic about ÄIDS to deflect it from the aim of equal opportunities for gay people.' Right on Manchester council!
WE'RE STILL MOVING!
THE NEXT issue, celebrating one year of the miners' strike will still be produced under difficult circumstances, and will retain the magazine lormal, back o orlal as soon a.
AIDS, Acquired the press attack on surrogate Cotton, and Enoch Powell's has shouted the identified Its Central Africa in Zaire, there is currently a heteroIt's believed that gay men Western origins, AIDS is no 'gay plague' than legionnaire's disease needles, and haemophiliacs high-incidence AIDS Switchboard conference Kenneth Clarke was considering quarantine, Michael demand ment. have been arrested, 5000 miners have been injured on picket lines, four have died. To date 650 miners have been sacked for their actions against pit closures.
Consequently a large number of miners' families have not only had to endure the physical hardship of the strike, they have also found themselves, for the first time in their lives, in the dock. Now over 150 miners are behind bars. A large proportion of them willnave aso lost unem jobs.
The crime lat these to have fought for their Toos ano communines ano lo nave kep on fighting even when the lU( other unions have failed to take on Margarel thatener and fight to deed jobs. The moury of the state has been unleashed on the miners to punish them for their resistance, for their refusal to he owisi The battle at Orgreave last summer was one olne most famous clashes on the Jute. bul bonce l Yorkshire are not having convicting the hundreds of arresicu allel riot police charged pickets.
recent trial of miners, at Sheffield Crown Court from 21 January to 1 February, charged with unla will assembly, lanca to get one single conviction dence police wilnesses. Police use violence in Whitehall to prevent miners' contingents on Sunday's demo reaching Trafalgar Square and miners fight for their right to
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THE MINERS' STRIKE is one of the longest and most bitter battles in the history of the British labour move-