As promised a few days ago, this is a chance to exchange updates on the fight against AIDS.
To get the ball rolling, let me share that last night I attended an amazing all-star* talk hosted by the New York Times's Frank Rich with Larry Kramer, Tony Kushner, Terrence McNally, and Paul Rudnick (have I mentioned, I love New York?), where the subject was "AIDS, Art, and Transformation" (have I mentioned, I love New York?)
The talk was a good balance between the role of the theater in disseminating information (Kramer's "The Normal Heart" has led the way, having been produced in nearly every corner of the world, and named one of the 100 Greatest Plays of the 20th Century by the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain), how the "plague" has gone global, and how the next generation of playwrights should carry on the exploration of this issue in their art.
One of the things Kushner noted (and, no, none of these gay playwrights is a big fan of President Bush), was that the money set aside for Africa had somehow been mis-used. Part of why he said that was because it's tied to pro-life initiatives in those countries, but it also sounded like he meant to imply it's been mismanaged. Anyone know the details here?
Kramer, who's a cranky pessimist at the best of times, predicted there are epidemics worse than that in Africa now brewing in Asia, and that we will see 70 million lives lost to this disease in our lifetime. Anyone know whether it's as dire as that?
*For me anyway.
edward, i attended that event also (NY is indeed great) but had to leave during the Q&A to attend "Fahrenheit 9/11" again with more friends. One of the things i picked up from these wonderful writers is a wistfullness that the next generation of writers isn't there, or at the very least aren't looking out for the underdogs of our society. It's the same thing i feel when i see no large protests at the university level in America at what is an Administration that has betrayed the people's trust. It's sad, was there something put in their milk to induce apathy or are there subliminal messages in Sesame Street these past 20 years?
Posted by: wilfred | July 01, 2004 at 11:55 AM
"It's sad, was there something put in their milk to induce apathy or are there subliminal messages in Sesame Street these past 20 years?"
Actually, we used Schoolhouse Rock.
Posted by: Moe Lane | July 01, 2004 at 12:00 PM
well moe, it must have worked :)
the disenfranchisement seems pretty widespread nonetheless.
Posted by: wilfred | July 01, 2004 at 12:34 PM
"was there something put in their milk"
Fluoride in the water, baby.
It's why all the hippy bottled-water drinkers in the city and the rural guys with wells are anti-establishmentarian. They aren't getting their fluoride dose
Posted by: sidereal | July 01, 2004 at 02:39 PM
I actually wasn't entirely joking. You folks ever really read the lyrics to Elbow Room?
Posted by: Moe Lane | July 01, 2004 at 02:49 PM