Florida Agenda

By Anthony Johnson

Now that December 1st and World AIDS Day has passed, I can rest and reflect on the reason why after almost 17 years of being diagnosed HIV positive, I am able to CELEBRATE it today. It is because many amazing men, women, and children fought the fear and stigma associated with HIV and AIDS by our government and peers. These people, these advocates, these angels have given freely their time, their energy, and their hearts to assure that generations to come would not have to suffer the fate of those who came before. I wish I could list all the names of the men, women, AND children who have fought for my right to live a healthy, happy, productive life. However, there is not enough paper in the world to list all who have fought over the last 30 years nor can any monument do them justice. Their unwavering dedication and courage forced the government and healthcare providers to provide services that helped individuals like me receive care so desperately needed to survive and thrive. In fact, it is because of these advocates that the state of Florida finally released funds that will assist its residents in acquiring medications that they need to remain healthy and alive.

For the last 30 years, these advocates, these angels have brought communities together all working for the same ultimate goal, a cure for a human disease called HIV. There is no cure as of yet, no magic bullet, but these advocates promote, encourage, and demand that science be allowed to continue research and work towards discovering a vaccine and a cure.

I cannot continue without also saying thank you to the many advocates that are unknown to us who work behind the scene with individuals directly affected by HIV/AIDS in the communities where they live. These are the people, the angels who volunteer their time, give of their heart, and share their love with those who many times are discouraged or dismayed due to stigma and fear. They are indiscriminative and supportive of those who live in the shadow of discrimination and ignorance. These are the people who stand with us, not against us when we walk the street at night on World AIDS Day carrying a candle for those we have lost and for the battle that we are facing ourselves.

These advocates, these friends, these AMAZING ANGELS OF HOPE AND GUIDANCE have been fighting for years to assure that generations to come will have the medications, healthcare, and dignity that is our human right. And although we have come a long way over the last 30 years in achieving this, there is a long way to go and I know that many of these angels have tired and need our help and our support in continuing this fight. This battle will not be over until every HIV positive man, woman, and child has equal access to care and services. This fight will not end until there is a vaccine for HIV and cure for AIDS. Because of this, I have joined in the fight to rid the world of stigma, fear, and discrimination that people living with HIV/AIDS are facing and to advocate for equal care and equal rights for all.

I now ask of you, no CHALLENGE you to join these advocates, our angels and do what you can to help promote, encourage, and assure that the needs of all people living with HIV/AIDS are met. The only way that we as a community, as a nation, as a world can win this battle is by joining together, hand in hand, working with each other, in support of one another.

Once again, to the many advocates, the ANGELS HOPE AND GUIDANCE that fight and have fought for my right and the right of others to live a healthy, happy, productive life, I want to say thank you. Know that I love you for allthat you have done and still do to this day. I will never forget that you are all my ANGELS OF HOPE AND GUIDANCE!

Anthony Johnson is the organizer of BOLT, a group that is HIV centric but is open to the whole GLBT community. He can be reached by email at aejtyger243@gmail.com and you can find BOLT on facebook, twitter and Youtube.

By ANTHONY JOHNSON

Now that December 1st and World AIDS Day has passed, I can rest and reflect on the reason why after almost 17 years of being diagnosed HIV positive, I am able to CELEBRATE it today. It is because many amazing men, women, and children fought the fear and stigma associated with HIV and AIDS by our government and peers. These people, these advocates, these angels have given freely their time, their energy, and their hearts to assure that generations to come would not have to suffer the fate of those who came before. I wish I could list all the names of the men, women, AND children who have fought for my right to live a healthy, happy, productive life. However, there is not enough paper in the world to list all who have fought over the last 30 years nor can any monument do them justice. Their unwavering dedication and courage forced the government and healthcare providers to provide services that helped individuals like me receive care so desperately needed to survive and thrive. In fact, it is because of these advocates that the state of Florida finally released funds that will assist its residents in acquiring medications that they need to remain healthy and alive.

For the last 30 years, these advocates, these angels have brought communities together all working for the same ultimate goal, a cure for a human disease called HIV. There is no cure as of yet, no magic bullet, but these advocates promote, encourage, and demand that science be allowed to continue research and work towards discovering a vaccine and a cure.

I cannot continue without also saying thank you to the many advocates that are unknown to us who work behind the scene with individuals directly affected by HIV/AIDS in the communities where they live. These are the people, the angels who volunteer their time, give of their heart, and share their love with those who many times are discouraged or dismayed due to stigma and fear. They are indiscriminative and supportive of those who live in the shadow of discrimination and ignorance. These are the people who stand with us, not against us when we walk the street at night on World AIDS Day carrying a candle for those we have lost and for the battle that we are facing ourselves.

These advocates, these friends, these AMAZING ANGELS OF HOPE AND GUIDANCE have been fighting for years to assure that generations to come will have the medications, healthcare, and dignity that is our human right. And although we have come a long way over the last 30 years in achieving this, there is a long way to go and I know that many of these angels have tired and need our help and our support in continuing this fight. This battle will not be over until every HIV positive man, woman, and child has equal access to care and services. This fight will not end until there is a vaccine for HIV and cure for AIDS. Because of this, I have joined in the fight to rid the world of stigma, fear, and discrimination that people living with HIV/AIDS are facing and to advocate for equal care and equal rights for all.

I now ask of you, no CHALLENGE you to join these advocates, our angels and do what you can to help promote, encourage, and assure that the needs of all people living with HIV/AIDS are met. The only way that we as a community, as a nation, as a world can win this battle is by joining together, hand in hand, working with each other, in support of one another.

Once again, to the many advocates, the ANGELS HOPE AND GUIDANCE that fight and have fought for my right and the right of others to live a healthy, happy, productive life, I want to say thank you. Know that I love you for allthat you have done and still do to this day. I will never forget that you are all my ANGELS OF HOPE AND GUIDANCE!

Anthony Johnson

Anthony Johnson is the organizer of BOLT, a group that is HIV centric  but is open to the whole GLBT community. He can be reached by email at  aejtyger243@gmail.com and you can find BOLT?on facebook, twitter and Youtube.

By Anthony Johnson

Anthony Johnson is a 16 year  survivor of HIV and organizer of the Gay/Bi HIV Social Group, BOLT. He has posted numerous letters to Facebook warning of the potential repetition of history with the  horrors when HIV first reared its ugly head 30 years ago.

I am angered, afraid and dismayed at the recent attacks on individuals who are HIV positive in the state of Florida and the country as a whole. I am not talking about physical attacks, but we ARE taking a beating.

Because of governmental agency mismanagement of appropriated monies and a new governor who thinks that AIDS is a four letter word that must not be spoken – that should be hushed –  the HIV positive community is suffering.

Yes the HIV positive community is costly; I can personally attest to that. On average, my medications cost over $31,000 per year. This is just medication costs and does not account for the THOUSANDS of dollars spent annually on doctors, labs and hospital stays. However, can you REALLY put a cost on a human life? Am I not as worthy as the next person because I have a HUMAN virus?

I do not think it is cost alone that is an issue (although it is a BIG part of it). I feel the bulk of the problem is stigma and fear. Thirty years after the disease came to be known, there is still the misconception that this is a GAY disease, a DIRTY person’s disease, or a SINNER’s disease. This is ridiculous and preposterous! This disease is a HUMAN disease. If you are human (and I assume you are) then you are AFFECTED and at risk!

And I ask you this: Why do you fear saying the words HIV or AIDS? Why are you afraid to acknowledge its existence? Why do you fear me as an HIV positive person? The only fear you should have is waking one day to find your friends, your family, your loved ones, dying because you were too afraid to admit the truth.

It is time to stop this “It is not my problem; It is not my disease attitude.” It is time to start working TOGETHER to find solutions to the problems of HIV infection and the rising cost of care.

If the government is that concerned with cost, don’t take lives by reducing formularies or restricting people from getting help. Fight the pharmaceutical companies and force them to let go of the patents. Do not let them reapply if they change a formulary. I understand that they are in the business of making money, but not at the cost of the MILLIONS of lives affected by their greed every day.

Apathy, ADAP, and Anger

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines  apathy as:

•lack of feeling or emotion: impassiveness
•lack of interest or concern: indifference

I feel that this is the situation with the ADAP and Ryan White funding issues that are threating the lives of the people who receive assistance through these services. The HIV positive individuals who receive assistance through these programs believe there isn’t a problem because they have not seen the effect of not having their medications or services readily available to them.

Individuals of today have forgotten what our brothers and sisters before us sacrificed. They gave up their time, their energy and, for many, their lives. Their unwavering dedication and care for a community that was downtrodden and broken brought hope that we, as HIV positive individuals, would be able to live happy, healthy lives. If it were not for their fight, we could not live.

It is horrific to think that we, as HIV positive individuals 30 years after the crisis began, are faced with the same hardship and ignorance of a government that would rather ignore the fact that HIV exists and let us die. They are willing to sacrifice the many lives of people infected with this disease in order to save a dollar. The government is telling us that we are not worth more than a piece of paper with ink on it; we are not worth more than the change in their pockets.

What I find even sadder is the apathy of the HIV positive community as a whole. We have fantastic advocates and HIV positive individuals who are fighting daily to protect us and keep the services we need to survive. That represents, however, only a handful in comparison to the amount of HIV positive individuals who live in the state of Florida and the country.

Why are they not standing up with fists held high, screaming at the top of their lungs? Why are they not fighting for their lives? Do they think the government will help? That the government will not allow it? WRONG!! It is the government that has brought us to this point.

In my recent conversations, I have heard many advocates who are angry and frustrated with the HIV positive community because they are not fighting. Is it fear of reprisal? Is it fear of disclosure? To me, the biggest fear is the prospect of finding my friends, family and loved ones in their hospital beds gasping for their last breaths because they were unable to get the medications they needed to maintain their health.

I guess I am angry at the HIV positive community (with some exclusions – and you know who you are) because I recently lost someone dear to me and have another friend who is ill. I have lost three people in three years. I DO NOT WANT TO LOSE ANYONE ELSE BECAUSE OF THIS DISEASE! I especially do not want to lose them because I was APATHETIC and did not fight to try to save their lives.

Anthony Johnson is the organizer of BOLT, an HIV?support group in Fort Lauderdale. He can be reached at AEJTYGER243@gmail.com