Monday, February 04, 2008
Saturday, February 02, 2008
I Take It Back
That last post was funny. This is absolutely hilarious. I told you I was busy on Tuesday:
No way you're getting in here.
Photo: Courtesy of Spotlight Live
NewsFeed
2/ 1/08
4:15 PM Clubland’s Toughest Door Is in, Um, Times Square?
Clubs have long vied for celeb-studded Tuesday nights, so what’s the hottest one going these days? By one account, it’s Spotlight Live??? We were tempted to dismiss the Times Square karaoke complex as “strictly for the tourists” when it first opened, but that changed when we heard hip-hop stars were in the house during the recent Monday morning when a knife fight broke out. According to MTV.com, Beyoncé, Mya, Fantasia, Ne-Yo, and others have taken the stage for Tuesday’s “R&B Live” night. This week, when Diddy hosted a Bad Boy showcase, Fat Joe, Ray J, and Missy Elliott were in the audience, and Naughty by Nature and Danity Kane performed. We called the club looking to get in on the action, but were told it was a private event put on by an entertainment group affiliated with Universal Records. In other words, that door is tight.
No way you're getting in here.
Photo: Courtesy of Spotlight Live
NewsFeed
2/ 1/08
4:15 PM Clubland’s Toughest Door Is in, Um, Times Square?
Clubs have long vied for celeb-studded Tuesday nights, so what’s the hottest one going these days? By one account, it’s Spotlight Live??? We were tempted to dismiss the Times Square karaoke complex as “strictly for the tourists” when it first opened, but that changed when we heard hip-hop stars were in the house during the recent Monday morning when a knife fight broke out. According to MTV.com, Beyoncé, Mya, Fantasia, Ne-Yo, and others have taken the stage for Tuesday’s “R&B Live” night. This week, when Diddy hosted a Bad Boy showcase, Fat Joe, Ray J, and Missy Elliott were in the audience, and Naughty by Nature and Danity Kane performed. We called the club looking to get in on the action, but were told it was a private event put on by an entertainment group affiliated with Universal Records. In other words, that door is tight.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
I'm Not A Rabbit, I Need Some Rest ...
Godammit, I'm exhausted.
I spent Saturday afternoon running yet another birthday party for an overprivileged pre-teen. In actuality the child was lovely but her mom was a high-maintenance nightmare. I swear, these elaborate birthday parties for a 9 year old and fifteen of her friends are much more about the parents than they are about the kid, who I'm sure would be equally happy at a Chuck E. Cheese with a pocket full of game tokens. And as I've taken to saying lately, what's the point when the little moppet will more than likely end up 8 years from now getting high and blaming all her problems on the same people who dropped $4,000 on a 9th birthday she'll barely remember.
So I was already beat when my regular Saturday night shift started and that's just a pretty stressful night as it is. Don't get me wrong, as I said before I'm basically running the restaurant by myself these days, and I'm having a great time. I'm busy, I'm challenged and I'm totally engaged but it's a lot of work. I'm wiped by the time I get home around 2am. More so if I left the house at noon. Sunday I slept in and re-charged.
Monday I had a huge list of errands to accomplish, most importantly I had to get across town to the pharmacy as I was out of HIV meds. I'm always very conscientious about not missing a dose, however I will say I don't sweat taking my (now once a day) meds at the same exact time every day. It's usually sometime between 11 and 2, but it can be as early as 9am or as late as 3pm. I don't think I've missed a dose in over two years. There are some benefits to being a complete creature of habit. But I refuse to try and keep on an exact time. Who needs that stress and no one can convince me that the meds are on some exact 24 hr. window. I'm sure what you eat and when as well as a host of other factors would need to be figured. I'm confident just taking them at some point every day is far and away the important point.
In any case, since I had to trek across town and I've been feeling guilty about working so much and not being a good daddy for Jet I decided to take him with me. Walking across by myself is almost exactly a half hour. With a dog in tow, stopping at the Union Square run, avoiding big crushes of people and really noisy building construction turned it into well over an hour and a half there and back. And that's only because I wouldn't let him mark every tree and hydrant on the way. It takes him a while, but eventually Jet figures out this is a serious walk and he cooperates. He tends to walk a bit ahead of me, which the Dog Whisperer says is bad, but he constantly checks to see if I'm behind him and whenever we get to a crosswalk he stands right at my knee until I step in to the street. That's good enough for me.
By the time we got home and back up five flights of stairs, I was surprised when he wanted to play with some toys. Apparently it was a last burst of energy because soon after he was sacked out and snoring for about four hours. Mission accomplished.
I went back to work feeling recharged as well but I have a ton of projects piling up and it's much harder these days for me to disengage and work in the office. If it's a slow shift I can leave things in the hands of certain people, but none of them are other managers. The nightclub manager and I are really the only ones pulling any weight these days. And even that's not a complaint, but I'm wondering how long it will be before somebody actually notices. Tuesday I spent the afternoon working on payroll, which I eventually had to stop because we had another two hour birthday extravaganza to bang out, followed by a ridiculously busy live concert event that doubled as a taping for an MTV show.
Somehow, and don't ask me how, I've taken the job of gatekeeper at these events. Whenever we have a huge crowd of people for an event and a lot of guest lists to be run and cover charges to collect, you'll find me right in the middle of it trying to sort out who's who and who's not anyone. We usually spirit big name celebrities and performers in a back door. The problem is every "artist" that's laid down a vocal track and every one that knows someone that did automatically thinks a) that makes them important and b) they shouldn't have to pay a cover and c) they and all their friends should be on a guest list. I have the unenviable task of explaining your not, you do and not so much.
So I spend several hours holding back crowds of people that are "with" this label or that one. Everyone is some one's stylist or designer or make-up artist or balls shaver or some such nonsense. It's a lot of fun but again, by the end of the 13 hour day I'm done in.
People have a tendency when you're out walking your dog to try and approach you. Especially if you take some time to sit on a bench somewhere for a while. Most people have enough sense to inquire before they start anything.
"Is he friendly?"
To which I reply, "He really doesn't like strangers too much, I wouldn't bother him."
Of course by him I just mean me.
I spent Saturday afternoon running yet another birthday party for an overprivileged pre-teen. In actuality the child was lovely but her mom was a high-maintenance nightmare. I swear, these elaborate birthday parties for a 9 year old and fifteen of her friends are much more about the parents than they are about the kid, who I'm sure would be equally happy at a Chuck E. Cheese with a pocket full of game tokens. And as I've taken to saying lately, what's the point when the little moppet will more than likely end up 8 years from now getting high and blaming all her problems on the same people who dropped $4,000 on a 9th birthday she'll barely remember.
So I was already beat when my regular Saturday night shift started and that's just a pretty stressful night as it is. Don't get me wrong, as I said before I'm basically running the restaurant by myself these days, and I'm having a great time. I'm busy, I'm challenged and I'm totally engaged but it's a lot of work. I'm wiped by the time I get home around 2am. More so if I left the house at noon. Sunday I slept in and re-charged.
Monday I had a huge list of errands to accomplish, most importantly I had to get across town to the pharmacy as I was out of HIV meds. I'm always very conscientious about not missing a dose, however I will say I don't sweat taking my (now once a day) meds at the same exact time every day. It's usually sometime between 11 and 2, but it can be as early as 9am or as late as 3pm. I don't think I've missed a dose in over two years. There are some benefits to being a complete creature of habit. But I refuse to try and keep on an exact time. Who needs that stress and no one can convince me that the meds are on some exact 24 hr. window. I'm sure what you eat and when as well as a host of other factors would need to be figured. I'm confident just taking them at some point every day is far and away the important point.
In any case, since I had to trek across town and I've been feeling guilty about working so much and not being a good daddy for Jet I decided to take him with me. Walking across by myself is almost exactly a half hour. With a dog in tow, stopping at the Union Square run, avoiding big crushes of people and really noisy building construction turned it into well over an hour and a half there and back. And that's only because I wouldn't let him mark every tree and hydrant on the way. It takes him a while, but eventually Jet figures out this is a serious walk and he cooperates. He tends to walk a bit ahead of me, which the Dog Whisperer says is bad, but he constantly checks to see if I'm behind him and whenever we get to a crosswalk he stands right at my knee until I step in to the street. That's good enough for me.
By the time we got home and back up five flights of stairs, I was surprised when he wanted to play with some toys. Apparently it was a last burst of energy because soon after he was sacked out and snoring for about four hours. Mission accomplished.
I went back to work feeling recharged as well but I have a ton of projects piling up and it's much harder these days for me to disengage and work in the office. If it's a slow shift I can leave things in the hands of certain people, but none of them are other managers. The nightclub manager and I are really the only ones pulling any weight these days. And even that's not a complaint, but I'm wondering how long it will be before somebody actually notices. Tuesday I spent the afternoon working on payroll, which I eventually had to stop because we had another two hour birthday extravaganza to bang out, followed by a ridiculously busy live concert event that doubled as a taping for an MTV show.
Somehow, and don't ask me how, I've taken the job of gatekeeper at these events. Whenever we have a huge crowd of people for an event and a lot of guest lists to be run and cover charges to collect, you'll find me right in the middle of it trying to sort out who's who and who's not anyone. We usually spirit big name celebrities and performers in a back door. The problem is every "artist" that's laid down a vocal track and every one that knows someone that did automatically thinks a) that makes them important and b) they shouldn't have to pay a cover and c) they and all their friends should be on a guest list. I have the unenviable task of explaining your not, you do and not so much.
So I spend several hours holding back crowds of people that are "with" this label or that one. Everyone is some one's stylist or designer or make-up artist or balls shaver or some such nonsense. It's a lot of fun but again, by the end of the 13 hour day I'm done in.
People have a tendency when you're out walking your dog to try and approach you. Especially if you take some time to sit on a bench somewhere for a while. Most people have enough sense to inquire before they start anything.
"Is he friendly?"
To which I reply, "He really doesn't like strangers too much, I wouldn't bother him."
Of course by him I just mean me.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Got Gang Rape?
After the horrible happenings last weekend I knew it was coming. Still, even I didn't expect the Fire Department, Health Department, Building Inspectors, NYPD and the SLA all together all in one fell swoop. Plus the Spanish Inquisition. And nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.
And while they weren't after me personally or anyone for that matter, I was selected as the least likely to panic and most level-headed (SHUT UP!) person to deal with the deluge of shields and badges. So I scurried about producing payroll records and permits and licenses and floor plans and all manner of paperwork and then accompanied the building inspectors as they went floor by floor to check out every sign and sink and light and poked their heads up in all my nooks and several of my crannies. Fortunately, I had just shaved my taint so I was clean as a whistle. Let that be a lesson to y'all.
The result, some emergency lighting issues, a few building violations, a fire extinguisher that needs replacing, some certificates that have to be produced and filed and only a single health code violation found in the entire restaurant and behind three bars.
All together I spent about 2 hours answering questions and pointedly avoiding several attempts to get me to implicate ourselves as some shady underground nightclub instead of the fun, friendly tourist trap that we are. If we're guilty of anything it's putting too much trust in a shady inexperienced promoter. Hopefully, the powers that be have learned a lesson.
And hopefully I won't have to have every inspector from every city agency descend on me again anytime soon. At least not without buying me dinner and bringing some lube.
And while they weren't after me personally or anyone for that matter, I was selected as the least likely to panic and most level-headed (SHUT UP!) person to deal with the deluge of shields and badges. So I scurried about producing payroll records and permits and licenses and floor plans and all manner of paperwork and then accompanied the building inspectors as they went floor by floor to check out every sign and sink and light and poked their heads up in all my nooks and several of my crannies. Fortunately, I had just shaved my taint so I was clean as a whistle. Let that be a lesson to y'all.
The result, some emergency lighting issues, a few building violations, a fire extinguisher that needs replacing, some certificates that have to be produced and filed and only a single health code violation found in the entire restaurant and behind three bars.
All together I spent about 2 hours answering questions and pointedly avoiding several attempts to get me to implicate ourselves as some shady underground nightclub instead of the fun, friendly tourist trap that we are. If we're guilty of anything it's putting too much trust in a shady inexperienced promoter. Hopefully, the powers that be have learned a lesson.
And hopefully I won't have to have every inspector from every city agency descend on me again anytime soon. At least not without buying me dinner and bringing some lube.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Psst, Wanna Buy A T-Cell?
I got 779 of the little fuckers. You can have a few. That's slightly down but unbeknownst to me I was just starting this pesky cold when I tested so there's that.
Want some more numbers? I weighed in at a porcine 160 lbs. I have just over three weeks until my birthday. That last 10 lbs. could get ugly. I'm having a hard time stopping my nightly 3-way with Ben&Jerry. They're just so creamy!
Blood sugars are good, my liver needs onions and my cholesterol is down but still elevated. Fortunately my LDL (good) cholesterol is freakishly good so my health care lady is unconcerned.
I'm slightly anemic again, despite the extra iron. Indeed, my iron levels are fine. I'm just slightly anemic. It's hereditary.
Viral load? Undetectable.
While I was at it I got a booster shot to keep the pneumonia boogieman away for another five years. Tonight after I got home from work I nudged the heavy front door open with my shot shoulder. Ow.
We now return you to our regularly scheduled, albeit woefully undramatic blog.
Want some more numbers? I weighed in at a porcine 160 lbs. I have just over three weeks until my birthday. That last 10 lbs. could get ugly. I'm having a hard time stopping my nightly 3-way with Ben&Jerry. They're just so creamy!
Blood sugars are good, my liver needs onions and my cholesterol is down but still elevated. Fortunately my LDL (good) cholesterol is freakishly good so my health care lady is unconcerned.
I'm slightly anemic again, despite the extra iron. Indeed, my iron levels are fine. I'm just slightly anemic. It's hereditary.
Viral load? Undetectable.
While I was at it I got a booster shot to keep the pneumonia boogieman away for another five years. Tonight after I got home from work I nudged the heavy front door open with my shot shoulder. Ow.
We now return you to our regularly scheduled, albeit woefully undramatic blog.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Greetings From Planet Cryptic
If you're following the local news ... I'm fine, wasn't even there. My employees are all safe and fine. Other people ... not so fine.
Can't say more.
Can't say more.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
In-SIN-cere?
So as you may or may not know, I belong to a group here in NYC known as SIN. If you're too lazy to click on the link, it's a social/support group for HIV+ men and their friends, boyfriends etc. But it's mostly for HIV+ men. It's a social group more than a hookup site, and they get together once a month for a bar night, other times for a board game get-together. They've done a bowling night, lots of brunches, theater outings, you name it. Basically, it's billed as a safe, relaxed place where POZ guys can meet other POZ guys without worrying about your HIV status. Even if you don't meet anyone date-wise, the theory is that there's some common ground built in to the shared experience. And there is. It's a wonderful group that I don't take nearly enough advantage of.
Along with being a member I have signed up for the group e-mail list, and periodically get e-mail sent to the group about social events, doctor referrals, political meetings etc. Again, they run the gamut. But I have to say I was a tad surprised yesterday when I checked my e-mail and found this little missive in my In-box. It was a group e-mail sent out by none other than Project Runway dropout Jack Mackenroth. Here is the e-mail in it's entirety:
Hey Everyone--I need your help. If you don't know me or know of me, I was the openly HIV+ contestant on Project Runway this season. My name is Jack Mackenroth and I have been to several SIN events and promote it on all my websites. Bravo is currently having their fan favorite voting contest. I NEED YOUR VOTE! You can vote up to 40 times and with every entry you have a chance to win a $10,000 shopping spree yourself. If I am voted fan favorite I win 10K and I could really use the money. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.
Now first of all, opening an e-mail to an HIV+ support group with "I need your help" and then following it up with a plea for on-line votes to win 10k sets my teeth on edge right off. You don't need my help Jacqueline, you need me to take precious time out of my busy day to stuff the on-line ballot box so you can win money.
Why would I do this for you? Because you're HIV+? Am I helpin' a sistah out? Then why don't you at least cop to it? Why mention that you've been to several SIN events (only one that I know of, but I have no proof it isn't more) and that you "promote it on all your websites (sic)"? Really? I can only find the one web site(s). And it's decidedly thin. Less than a dozen posts in total. And you don't link to anything. And you only talk about you. Oh wait, there's a fresh post asking for votes. Damn, girl, you don't miss a trick. So what, exactly, do I get out of this besides helping some self-involved Chelsea "designer" (now there's a rare breed *snicker*) enrich his checking account? How much does Special K cost these days, anyway?
Along with being a member I have signed up for the group e-mail list, and periodically get e-mail sent to the group about social events, doctor referrals, political meetings etc. Again, they run the gamut. But I have to say I was a tad surprised yesterday when I checked my e-mail and found this little missive in my In-box. It was a group e-mail sent out by none other than Project Runway dropout Jack Mackenroth. Here is the e-mail in it's entirety:
Hey Everyone--I need your help. If you don't know me or know of me, I was the openly HIV+ contestant on Project Runway this season. My name is Jack Mackenroth and I have been to several SIN events and promote it on all my websites. Bravo is currently having their fan favorite voting contest. I NEED YOUR VOTE! You can vote up to 40 times and with every entry you have a chance to win a $10,000 shopping spree yourself. If I am voted fan favorite I win 10K and I could really use the money. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.
Now first of all, opening an e-mail to an HIV+ support group with "I need your help" and then following it up with a plea for on-line votes to win 10k sets my teeth on edge right off. You don't need my help Jacqueline, you need me to take precious time out of my busy day to stuff the on-line ballot box so you can win money.
Why would I do this for you? Because you're HIV+? Am I helpin' a sistah out? Then why don't you at least cop to it? Why mention that you've been to several SIN events (only one that I know of, but I have no proof it isn't more) and that you "promote it on all your websites (sic)"? Really? I can only find the one web site(s). And it's decidedly thin. Less than a dozen posts in total. And you don't link to anything. And you only talk about you. Oh wait, there's a fresh post asking for votes. Damn, girl, you don't miss a trick. So what, exactly, do I get out of this besides helping some self-involved Chelsea "designer" (now there's a rare breed *snicker*) enrich his checking account? How much does Special K cost these days, anyway?
At least we finally get a germ of truth at the end, when the whiny MRSA victim finally just bald-faced admits "I could really use the money". Here's an idea you probably haven't considered Miss Jackie O-no-you-didn't. Howzabout you get yourself one of them newfangled jobs I been hearing so much about?
Sorry to harsh every one's day, but my initial reaction upon reading this e-mail was the same one I get when I happen across a picture of a vagina unexpectedly. Not out and out revulsion, but just a tiny bit "ew", you know? But the more I read it and thought about it other words came to mind. Like smarmy. And pandering. With a dash of exploiting your HIV status and me for cash, thrown in. Sorry Jack, you shady Queen. You and your hideously swollen lip will not be getting my votes. If I cast them at all I will give my votes to the Project Rungay designer that actually has some talent. That would be your replacement, Chris. Did you see those portfolio shots? Fagulous!
Friday, January 18, 2008
Asked And Answered
An update that answers my question as to what the current (Democratic) candidates think about repealing the embarrassing and blatantly discriminatory HIV+ travel ban.
This article was provided by Housing Works. It is a part of the publication Housing Works AIDS Issues Update.
January 4, 2008
Better not have any HIV meds in there ...
Some speculated that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was trying to pull a fast one when it gave the public a mere 30 days to respond to its proposed changes on a 20-year-old policy banning foreigners with HIV from entering the U.S. However, advocates and individuals weren't so easily had: Some 600 organizations and individuals responded to the DHS' December 6 comments deadline.
You can check out all the comments here. Among the organizations that weighed in were AIDS Action, the American Public Health Association, AIDS Project Los Angeles, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC), the HIV Law Project, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the International Women's Health Coalition. the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), National Immigration Forum and Physicians for Human Rights.
DHS' rule changes were ostensibly intended to ease travel restrictions for non-U.S. citizens with HIV but actually created new barriers.
Just before Congress went into recess for the holidays, Sen. John Kerry and Sen. Gordon Smith proposed a bill that, like similar legislation in the House proposed by Rep. Barbara Lee, would strike a provision in the Immigration and Nationality Act that renders people with HIV inadmissible to the U.S. and return authority for that determination to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
On Christmas Eve, the Boston Globe ran an eloquent editorial in support of lifting the ban.
It's a tad disheartening that like Lee's version, it was released just minutes before Senate recess so it couldn't gain any momentum. Regardless there is only so much Congress can do -- HHS does not have to overturn the ban on HIV-positive travel and immigration. A change in the Oval Office may be the faster route to justice: Clinton, Obama, Edwards, Richardson, Dodd and Kucinich responded to the AIDSVote.org survey question, "Do you support the repeal of the ban against people living with HIV entering the United States as travelers or immigrants, and which bars those in the U.S. from legalizing their immigration status?" with a resounding "Yes."
"A Step Short of a Yellow Star"
The Update combed through the comments on the travel ban on regulations.gov. Below is a round-up of well-reasoned and passionate opinions from elected officials, organizations, and concerned citizens opposed to the new DHS regulations:
Sen. Edward Kennedy: "The proposed rule offers little value to HIV-positive applicants. Instead, it imposes strict requirements that unfairly limit travel to the United States in a manner that is inconsistent with the best scientific understanding of the disease. It is mired in the past, a past where people feared HIV as a contagious disease could not be controlled or effectively managed."
Gay Men's Health Crisis and the Lift the Bar Coalition (28 signatories): "The HIV entry bar fails even by its own logic: It undermines public and individual health and drives up the cost of health care. ... It forces HIV-positive immigrants to go underground, and discourages them from seeking care until they end up in the emergency room with full-blown AIDS. It is no wonder that the American Medical Association, the American Public Health Association and two Secretaries of Health and Human Services have all acknowledged that HIV entry bar is unjustifiable on public health grounds."
Elizabeth Wilkes (individual): "Every behavior that is associated with this damaging and discriminatory regulation is also associated with non-HIV illnesses. To single out HIV to demand these restrictions and behaviors is to open the door to any other illnesses and/or deformities that would be considered "non-desirable" -- identifying and dogging many innocent people. It is one step short of demanding that HIV-positive people wear a yellow star."
Julie Beschta (individual): I am writing to urge you to reconsider your current ban on the travel of HIV-positive persons to the US. Let us be a (positive!) leader in international policies!"
Human Rights Watch: "This law is contrary to international human rights protections against discrimination and serves no justifiable public health purpose. The United Nations International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights note that there is no public health rationale for restricting liberty of movement or choice of residence on the grounds of HIV status."
Seth Berkly, president of IAVI: There would be a real cost to be paid, in progress against AIDS, for this new policy. IAVI's scientific team, for instance, researches and develops AIDS vaccine candidates and conducts HIV clinical trials and clinical research through partnership with more than 40 academic, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and government institutions around the world. IAVI's work requires constant collaboration with scientists, policymakers and advocates from, among other places, those parts of the world hardest hit by the epidemic. Our headquarters staff travel to their home regions; they travel to our headquarters and laboratory in New York. If this exchange of people and ideas is hampered any more than it already is by further restrictions in immigration policy, the global effort to develop a vaccine will suffer.
To join GMHC's Lift the Bar coalition, contact: Nancy Ordover at nancyo@gmhc.org / 212-367-1240 or Vishal Trivedi at vishalt@gmhc.org.
This article was provided by Housing Works. It is a part of the publication Housing Works AIDS Issues Update.
January 4, 2008
Better not have any HIV meds in there ...
Some speculated that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was trying to pull a fast one when it gave the public a mere 30 days to respond to its proposed changes on a 20-year-old policy banning foreigners with HIV from entering the U.S. However, advocates and individuals weren't so easily had: Some 600 organizations and individuals responded to the DHS' December 6 comments deadline.
You can check out all the comments here. Among the organizations that weighed in were AIDS Action, the American Public Health Association, AIDS Project Los Angeles, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC), the HIV Law Project, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the International Women's Health Coalition. the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), National Immigration Forum and Physicians for Human Rights.
DHS' rule changes were ostensibly intended to ease travel restrictions for non-U.S. citizens with HIV but actually created new barriers.
Just before Congress went into recess for the holidays, Sen. John Kerry and Sen. Gordon Smith proposed a bill that, like similar legislation in the House proposed by Rep. Barbara Lee, would strike a provision in the Immigration and Nationality Act that renders people with HIV inadmissible to the U.S. and return authority for that determination to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
On Christmas Eve, the Boston Globe ran an eloquent editorial in support of lifting the ban.
It's a tad disheartening that like Lee's version, it was released just minutes before Senate recess so it couldn't gain any momentum. Regardless there is only so much Congress can do -- HHS does not have to overturn the ban on HIV-positive travel and immigration. A change in the Oval Office may be the faster route to justice: Clinton, Obama, Edwards, Richardson, Dodd and Kucinich responded to the AIDSVote.org survey question, "Do you support the repeal of the ban against people living with HIV entering the United States as travelers or immigrants, and which bars those in the U.S. from legalizing their immigration status?" with a resounding "Yes."
"A Step Short of a Yellow Star"
The Update combed through the comments on the travel ban on regulations.gov. Below is a round-up of well-reasoned and passionate opinions from elected officials, organizations, and concerned citizens opposed to the new DHS regulations:
Sen. Edward Kennedy: "The proposed rule offers little value to HIV-positive applicants. Instead, it imposes strict requirements that unfairly limit travel to the United States in a manner that is inconsistent with the best scientific understanding of the disease. It is mired in the past, a past where people feared HIV as a contagious disease could not be controlled or effectively managed."
Gay Men's Health Crisis and the Lift the Bar Coalition (28 signatories): "The HIV entry bar fails even by its own logic: It undermines public and individual health and drives up the cost of health care. ... It forces HIV-positive immigrants to go underground, and discourages them from seeking care until they end up in the emergency room with full-blown AIDS. It is no wonder that the American Medical Association, the American Public Health Association and two Secretaries of Health and Human Services have all acknowledged that HIV entry bar is unjustifiable on public health grounds."
Elizabeth Wilkes (individual): "Every behavior that is associated with this damaging and discriminatory regulation is also associated with non-HIV illnesses. To single out HIV to demand these restrictions and behaviors is to open the door to any other illnesses and/or deformities that would be considered "non-desirable" -- identifying and dogging many innocent people. It is one step short of demanding that HIV-positive people wear a yellow star."
Julie Beschta (individual): I am writing to urge you to reconsider your current ban on the travel of HIV-positive persons to the US. Let us be a (positive!) leader in international policies!"
Human Rights Watch: "This law is contrary to international human rights protections against discrimination and serves no justifiable public health purpose. The United Nations International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights note that there is no public health rationale for restricting liberty of movement or choice of residence on the grounds of HIV status."
Seth Berkly, president of IAVI: There would be a real cost to be paid, in progress against AIDS, for this new policy. IAVI's scientific team, for instance, researches and develops AIDS vaccine candidates and conducts HIV clinical trials and clinical research through partnership with more than 40 academic, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and government institutions around the world. IAVI's work requires constant collaboration with scientists, policymakers and advocates from, among other places, those parts of the world hardest hit by the epidemic. Our headquarters staff travel to their home regions; they travel to our headquarters and laboratory in New York. If this exchange of people and ideas is hampered any more than it already is by further restrictions in immigration policy, the global effort to develop a vaccine will suffer.
To join GMHC's Lift the Bar coalition, contact: Nancy Ordover at nancyo@gmhc.org / 212-367-1240 or Vishal Trivedi at vishalt@gmhc.org.
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