Newspaper Page Text
ATLANTA HOLDS AIDS
CANDLELIGHT VIGIL
Today is Memorial day...not just the first day
of summer..^ day of rememberance for all
those who have died in the course of their duty
to their and our country...those who have died
in all wars - from Vietnam to Korea, to WWII,
through WW I, Spanish American Conflict to
the War Between the States, the american
natives and the federal troops in "winning the
west" as well as the men and women who died
to free us from the bonds of England...millions
have died. We remember them all today...they
were after all our parents, sisters, and brothers,
cousins, aunts, uncles, and children.
In speeches all over this country today, they
will be remembered in mass, we here add to the
history of America to remember that besides
being men and women and many barely youth,
beside the fact that they who died were black,
white, native americans, and asiani You may
not be told elsewhere that in all those human
conflicts, our sisteres and brothers |n the
Armed Forces were also gay as well as straight.
From Washington's Army through
Westmoreland's, lesbian and gay people have
served their country with courage and
commitment and many have died in that
service.
Today is also a day that we in the AIDS fight
have adopted as our national Day of
Rememberance of all those, now numbering
more than 10,000 who have left us, taken by
this disease, as well as a day of hope and
solidarity for those who are living with AIDS
day by day, hour by hour, and minute by
minute until a cure is found...
Today we join over fifty other cities in this
rememberance sponsored nationwide by
Mobilization Against AIDS from San
Francisco...Yesterday many of us participated
in Hands Across America to support the
homeless of this land...
Today we celebrate HEARTS ACROSS
AMERICA...to support the thousands of people
around this country like ourselves who are a
part of a new kind of war...a war against a
deadly virus, as well as a war against the
ravages of fear and ignorance that is also in
epidemic proportions.
The fact is, to borrow words from another's
rather famous speech, 'We are now engaged in
a grave Civil War" a war between those who
would be healers in this crisis and those who
would use this crisis to harm.
I have something to say to those who would
continue to add to the human suffering that is
all to present in this health crisis, who would
use the ingredients of the dynamics that
surround this reality, that is of Death, Sex, and
Homosexuality to further their own self
centered, ignorant, narrow minded, self
indulgent agendas...I want them to know right
now that in this kind of civil war, they are
losing, and they will ultimately lose!
To those who call themselves religious, who
profess to worship the same God we do, to
those who hold out friendship with one hand
and hold an ecclesiastical pseudo-theological
knife in the other... who use the fear of AIDS to
stir up their growing numbers of supporters to
keep the cash rolling in...I say God is not
pleased with you and we the healers will
continue to ignore your rantings and railings,
because we have much more important work to
do...Yes, we are about God's work of healing,
ourselves, our communities, and our
friends...you will not harm us...our healing has
power far beyond your petty efforts to harm.
To those who would use the suffering of
thousands of people affected by this disease,
the PWAs themselves as well as their families,
for their own political agenda, an agenda that
while it has the American family at its center,
totally ignores the fact that those whom this
disease effects are your families, to those who
whip up ancient and well used tactics of fear by
encouraging sterotyping and scapegoating...I
say your kind of politics has failed time and
time again whenever and wherever truth is
present...Your kind of politics failed in
Germany, in South Korea, and Italy, and
among others; even now is failing in
Afghanistan and South Africa...There is
nothing new about the far right or left that
disposes of human dignity to further political
goals...You have always lost in the past...you
will lose in the present...our healing in
truth...will overcome your attempts to harm...
To those who would use this epidemic to
further your own profits by playing on the fear
of this epidemic and selling your snake
oil...whether that be a guaranteed "Safe Card",
or a do it yourself AIDS Test Kit, or the miracle
cure you made in your basement, or a
newsletter sold for hundreds of dollars that
cost you cents to produce, not to mention
those who use benefits for AIDS to fill their
own pockets...I Say you will be found out...You
may do some short range harm to some...but
you will not succeed in your business...we are
not only healers, we are vigilant healers as well!
And finally to those people in political
office...to those who have taken an oath to
support our freedoms and rights...who
continue to use this epidemic to fan the flames
to division in our country...who deliberately
try to divert the attention of public policy away
from prudent public health issues to so called
"Morality Issues" and who in doing so destroy
the public trust of their office... We the healers
say...you will not last long...the healers vote as
well as those who would do harm...we will not
allow you to invent public policy that
continues to erode the very freedoms of our
constitution that all these thousands we
number today have died to protect...
Today is a day of healing...a day for
healers...a day to remember that all of us who
care are at the same time, wounded
healers...people who move on in spite of all
that confronts us...We are a people who look to
the future and not the past, who live with hope,
and love, and light that with'us and through us
we will win in this war...and even before the
victory, we will be fuller people, a more loving
people for reaching out to others in a
community of care...You see it's really a set
up...we can't lose! Love never does!
We are healers when we reach out to a friend
with a smile or a bowl of soup, or a patient,
non-judgmental ear...We.are healers when we
stop another person from continuing to spread
false information^ about us and this
disease ..We are healers when we invest a part
of our lives to serve others...because in doing
so, we are really serving ourselves...We are
healers when we join an organization, or give
money, or write a letter to policymakers...We
are healers when-.we look into the face of a
friend and say goodbye...We are healers by
coming here tonight...to participate, to sing,
to cry, to reach out to another...As we listen to
our own Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus sing, we
will light our candles of healing...starting from
this lone candle until all are lit...Each of us and
all of us are healthier for being here...
Rev. Ken South, Executive Director of AID Atlanta delivered the keynote speech at the
AIDS Candlelight Vigil, Memorial Day
MYSTERIOUS "OFFICER JEFF"
by Gene Koland
Whether you 're fond of meeting people at Piedmont Park, or whether you're merely not fond
of extortion and of people pretending to be police officers in order to prey on the gay
community, you've probably been disturbed by the antics of "Officer Jeff”.
The "Officer" is a well-built, very attractive black man whose modus operandi seems to be
luring other men with his looks (to put it mildly) and then showing a badge and claiming to be
a police officer. He then asks for (and sometimes receives) money in exchange for his kindness
in not arresting his victims.
One recent incident involved a man who met Officer Jeff in Piedmont Park. After Officer Jeff
produced a badge and handcuffs, lie announced that for a mere $500 he could give the man a
break. The man didn't have $500, but he did have $300 in the bank, which was fine with Officer
Jeff. So they left the Atlanta Cabana, where Officer Jeff had suggested they go, and went to a
bank. Both went in, and the victim wrote a check to cash for $300 and gave Officer Jeff the
money. Ah interesting;*aspect of this particular incident is that the victim and Officer Jeff
would both be pictured on the bank's cameras, which run constantly as most bank cameras do.
Another incident involved a person who had met (and apparently had occasion to get to
know) the same Jeff about two years before. Apparently in his Officer Jeff incarnation, Jeff
didn't recognize his sometime acquaintance. When reminded of their encounter two years.
before, Officer Jeff said in effect that that was then and this is now. Now he was working as an
j undercover cop, and was arresting people in Piedmont Park for a living now. But since I know
I you, I'll give you a break. Just take me back4:o Piedmont Park.
On the way back to the Park, the man became more and more suspicious and asked to see
Officer Jeff's badge again. Officer Jeff said he didn't have to show him his badge again. So the
driver announced he didn't have to give him a ride all the way back to Piedmont Park, either,
and put him out of the car.
A third incident involved another young man who met the same Officer Jeff in the park.
Officer Jeff invited him to go to the Atlanta Cabana with him, and when the man said he'd
rather go to his own place, Officer Jeff flashed his badge. Not having the money Officer Jeff
asked for, the man gave him his bank card and ID code. Officer Jeff had withdrawn $200 from
the man's account before it could be closed the following day.
It is impossible to know how many similar incidents have occured-but these three should
give anybody who wants to exercise caution an idea of what to watch out for. They also give a
good profile of the "Jeff" who is preying on the community.
His name apparently really is Jeff, because some of the victims have heard other people call
him by that . name. Also, a couple of years ago before he thought up this scam, he was also
called Jeff (without the "Officer" prefix, of course).
He has made mistakes; notably getting his picture on film' as well as failing to recognize
people he has encountered previously. Atlanta Police are said to be interested whether or not
this person turns out to be a cop. After all, if he is a police officer, his actions are hardly in
I accordance with accepted procedures; and if he is not, he is impersonating an officer and
giving the Atlanta Police a bad name (which this time they do not deserve).
With all the evidence piling up against Officer Jeff, with the Atlanta Police having every
reason to want to catch him, and with the .increased vigilance of the gay community, these
incidents should soon be a thing of the past.
Watch this space for the next installment of the Officer Jeff story.