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GMHC denounces Governor Huckabee's 1992 call for quarantine of people with HIV
Gay Men's Health Crisis, the world's oldest HIV/AIDS organization, denounced a statement made by surging GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee in 1992 calling for the quarantine of people infected with HIV. The statement appears in a report from People from the American Way.
In 1992, many years after science had definitively ruled out the possibility of HIV/AIDS being passed through casual contact, then-U.S. Senate candidate Mike Huckabee declared, "It is the first time in the history of civilization in which the carriers of a genuine plague have not been isolated from the general population." He continued, "This deadly disease, for which there is no cure, is being treated as a civil rights issue instead of the true health crisis it represents. If the federal government is truly serious about doing something with the AIDS virus, we need to take steps that would isolate the carriers of this plague."
Source: Associated Press Political Service (1992, October 13), "Huckabee: Cure Health Cost Hikes in Marketplace; Isolate AIDS Victims," cited in "The Huckabee Surge: Why Religious Right Activists Like Mike," Washington, D.C.: People for the American Way (2007), retrieved December 7, 2007 from http://media.pfaw.org/PDF/TheHuckabeeSurge.pdf.
Following is a statement from Sean Cahill, Ph.D., Managing Director for Public Policy, Research and Community Health:
"We are disturbed that then-U.S. Senate candidate Mike Huckabee called for a quarantine of people living with HIV and AIDS in 1992. This statement reinforced stigma and hostility toward people living with HIV and AIDS, which was very pronounced in 1992. The idea of quarantining people with AIDS was promoted by extremist Lyndon LaRouche in the 1980s, though most mainstream politicians at the time largely rejected the idea. We hope that Governor Huckabee no longer holds this view. He should explain his support for the position in 1992 and clarify whether he still supports quarantining people with HIV and AIDS. Governor Huckabee should also tell voters what he plans to do to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the U.S. and around the world. Committing to creating and implementing a national AIDS strategy would be a welcome start. The U.S. requires this of other countries that receive AIDS relief funds, and it's time we practice what we preach."
Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) is a not-for-profit, volunteer-supported and community-based organization committed to national leadership in the fight against AIDS. Our mission is to reduce the spread of HIV disease, help people with HIV maintain and improve their health and independence, and keep the prevention, treatment and cure of HIV an urgent national and local priority. In fulfilling this mission, we will remain true to our heritage by fighting homophobia and affirming the individual dignity of all gay men and lesbians. We provide services and programs to over 15,000 men, women and families that are living with or affected by HIV/AIDS in New York City, and outreach and education to hundreds of thousands throughout the world. For more information, please visit www.gmhc.org.
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© 2007 Gay Men's Health Crisis
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