Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site bbncca.ARPA
Path: utzoo!linus!bbncca!sdyer
From: sdyer@bbncca.ARPA (Steve Dyer)
Newsgroups: mod.motss
Subject: Re: Reply to Byron Howes - San Francisco news
Message-ID: <1024@bbncca.ARPA>
Date: Sun, 14-Oct-84 02:52:59 EDT
Article-I.D.: bbncca.1024
Posted: Sun Oct 14 02:52:59 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 14-Oct-84 05:03:52 EDT
References: <3840@decwrl.UUCP> <410@amd.UUCP>
Organization: Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Cambridge, Ma.
Lines: 46
Approved: sdyer@bbncca.ARPA


	>The virus, he said, has been found in 40 to 50
	>percent of the gay male population in San Francisco.

I think the facts are that ANTIBODIES to the virus (HTLV-3) have been found
in many members of the gay male population tested in San Francisco.  This,
of course, is not the same as having AIDS.  Unless the gay population of
San Francisco is especially scrupulous, I doubt one would ever be able to
make such a claim right now based on actual clinical observation: first,
HTLV-3 has only been suspected as the causative agent of AIDS in the last
six months.  Second, the screening procedure alluded to above is only now
becoming perfected.  If current population estimates hold, the claim above
would imply that anywhere from 10,000 to 35,000 men have been already
identified as being exposed to HTLV-3, a situation clearly in conflict with
the known facts about the development of the screening procedure.

Anyway, about the closings:  I feel a bit ambivalent about the attempts
to close such establishments.  On one hand, I don't feel too much grief
that it will be less easy for the patrons of such establishments to get
their rocks off whenever they want with whomever they find.  This kind
of anonymous, promiscuous sexual activity is risky for the individual as
well as being a public health danger.  Right now, so little is known about
the acquisition of AIDS as well its spread that one might easily be able
to spread it without knowing that you have it.

On the other hand, the closings of such establishments, even with the
approval of many in the gay community, creates a precedent.  How much
further is it from closing down particular bathhouses and bookstores than to
order the closing of ALL gay men's bars--not just the few which have
"backrooms"--under the guise of "public health."  It is not too farfetched
to imagine this.

My own opinion is that the closings (or attempted closings--I understand
that there will be a challenge in the courts) are a positive action
towards helping stop the spread of AIDS within the gay community.  It
will be important to remain vigilant, however, that such actions be
rational public policy responses to reasonable scientific evidence,
and that they are not exercised as an opportunity to harass or oppress
gay people.

This is a rather sticky point (oops, bad phrase), and I'd like to
encourage others to offer their views.
-- 
/Steve Dyer
{decvax,linus,ima,ihnp4}!bbncca!sdyer
sdyer@bbncca.ARPA