Calif. bill would create annual Ronald Reagan Day

The Associated Press had this item today:

(Sacramento, Calif.) AP – California is one step closer to establishing an annual day honoring Ronald Reagan, the former president, governor and actor.

The state Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a bill designating Feb. 6 as Ronald Reagan Day. It encourages schools to spend the day commemorating Reagan’s life and accomplishments.

The legislation, which heads to the Assembly, is one of three Reagan-themed bills Republican lawmakers hope to pass before Feb. 6, 2011. That would have been the 100th birthday of the conservative icon, who died in 2004.

Ronald Reagan Day would be the third special day of recognition in California dedicated to an individual.

The first honors conservationist John Muir. Last year, lawmakers honored Harvey Milk, a gay activist and former San Francisco supervisor who was gunned down at city hall in 1978.

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That’s what the AP had to say. This is from an old article up on SF Gate [1]:

A significant source of Reagan’s support came from the newly identified religious right and the Moral Majority, a political-action group founded by the Rev. Jerry Falwell. AIDS became the tool, and gay men the target, for the politics of fear, hate and discrimination. Falwell said “AIDS is the wrath of God upon homosexuals.” Reagan’s communications director Pat Buchanan argued that AIDS is “nature’s revenge on gay men.”

With each passing month, death and suffering increased at a frightening rate. Scientists, researchers and health care professionals at every level expressed the need for funding. The response of the Reagan administration was indifference.

By Feb. 1, 1983, 1,025 AIDS cases were reported, and at least 394 had died in the United States. Reagan said nothing. On April 23, 1984, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced 4,177 reported cases in America and 1,807 deaths. In San Francisco, the health department reported more than 500 cases. Again, Reagan said nothing. That same year, 1984, the Democratic National Convention convened in San Francisco. Hoping to focus attention on the need for AIDS research, education and treatment, more than 100,000 sympathizers marched from the Castro to Moscone Center.

What do you think, readers? Should gay and lesbian Californinans be fighting this bill the way that others fought the Harvey Milk bill? Or was Reagan such an important president that it should stand?

[1] http://articles.sfgate.com/2004-06-08/opinion/17428849_1_aids-in-san-francisco-aids-research-education-cases

Gay & Lesbian Medical Association seeks new leader

he Gay & Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) is the leading organization in North America committed to ensuring equality in health care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals and health care professionals. Established in 1981, GLMA is a membership organization of multi-disciplinary health care professionals that achieves its goals by using medical expertise in professional education, public policy work, patient education and referrals, and the promotion of research. Headquartered in San Francisco, the organization has an annual budget of approximately $900,000 and employs 5 FTEs. Please visit www.glma.org for more information. See Gay & Lesbian Medical Association seeks new leader

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