Misplaced Pages

#131868

35-546: Watkins Commission may refer to: the U.S. President's Commission on the HIV Epidemic , formed in 1987 the United States Commission on Ocean Policy , formed in 2000 Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Watkins Commission . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change

70-473: A New York City treatment program for addicts. Primm was the only African American on the commission and the only one with expertise on the intravenous drug use. Of the challenge of heading the commission, Watkins later said: "I really wasn't sure I could pull it out of the swamp." In February 1988, the commission released an interim report focused on IV drugs that called for a $ 20-billion, 10-year effort to fight AIDS. Watkins described it as "only seven-tenths of

105-496: A civil disobedience act in front of the Supreme Court building protesting its rulings upholding Bowers v. Hardwick . The march, demonstration and rally also included the first public display of Cleve Jones's NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt . The march itself was led by Cesar Chavez , Eleanor Smeal , Jesse Jackson , Whoopi Goldberg and several other celebrities, who were followed by people with AIDS and their supporters,

140-634: A kid of mine got a blood transfusion and my grandson had AIDS and the community discriminated against that child, that innocent child". Reagan said his drug policy advisor would review the report and make recommendations to him in 30 days. President Reagan later said he opposed such discrimination in principle but took no action before his term as president ended in January 1989. The administration took small steps. It acted to inform recipients of blood transfusions that they were at risk, made plans to speed FDA drug approvals, and developed proposals to add facilities for

175-663: A marriage license with his partner Paul Barwick in Seattle Washington. They later filed the suit Singer vs Hara , which ended in 1974 with a unanimous rejection by the Washington State Court of Appeals. Energized by the sense of community, moved by the AIDS Quilt , and inspired by the activists from ACT UP New York, many participants returned home and started their own chapters of ACT UP or similar lesbian and gay rights organizations. A year later, in commemoration of

210-529: A national strategy for managing the epidemic. It made more than 500 recommendations, which it summarized under these headings: Vice President George Bush, who was running for president at the time, immediately endorsed both an executive order and legislation to meet the commission's call for the extension of Federal anti-discrimination protection to those with AIDS and those who test positive for HIV. He emphasized children in his discussions with reporters: "My conscience has been advising me on AIDS.... I'd hate it if

245-571: A nice, neat, unified package." He named a new executive director on October 13. Without Bauer's approval, Watkins later added two commission members who had track records as critics of the Reagan administration: Kristine Gebbie, Oregon public health commissioner and president of the AIDS Task Force of the American Society of State and Territorial Health Officers and Dr. Benny J. Primm, director of

280-442: A number of whom were in wheelchairs. Members of ACT UP brought their brand of theatrical and photogenic direct action to the march, and were featured prominently in the media of the event. Speakers at the rally included, among others: The march marked increased visibility for bisexuals. A bisexual contingent of about 75 (co-organized by artist Liz Nania) marched, and then held the first nationwide bisexual gathering, which led to

315-535: A percent of the defense budget." William B. Rubenstein, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) who earlier sued the commission anticipating that its membership would bias its findings, found Watkins' work "a pleasant surprise". On June 2, 1988, Watkins described the commission's draft report and called for state and federal laws to provide anti-discrimination protection for AIDS patients. He called that discrimination "the rule, not

350-522: A power struggle and allegations of inadequate performance," wrote the New York Times , in which Mayberry yielded to the demands of some members of the commission for better staff support than they felt they were receiving. Lee said: "For whatever reason, lack of staff or whatever, things just weren't happening. With Gene Mayberry out in Rochester, Minnesota, most of the time, the commission felt we had to get

385-419: A preliminary report in 3 months and a final report within a year. The president named the other commission members on July 23. Saying AIDS needed to go "the way of smallpox and polio", President Reagan announced the appointments at the commission's first meeting. They included: At the commission's first meeting, Lilly and O'Connor, seated side by side, "chatted cordially", the New York Times reported. When

SECTION 10

#1733085026132

420-517: A really good, high-powered, full-time person" to manage the commission staff. On October 7, Mayberry and Myers quit, as did the commission's senior staff adviser for medical and research affairs, Dr. Franklin Cockerill 3d, a Mayo Clinic physician specializing in AIDS. Lilly said he was considering resigning but would wait to see who replaced the chairman and vice-chairman. The administration immediately announced

455-519: A representative of the gay community on the commission. Gary Bauer , the assistant to the President for policy development who would soon become head of the Family Research Council , said: "I would be very surprised if an administration opposed to making appointments on the basis of race or sex would agree to make an appointment based on bedroom habits". The commission was charged with producing

490-580: The American Foundation for AIDS Research thought the commission's work both more expert than she expected and free of ideology. Tim Sweeney, executive director of GMHC call the draft report "courageous, aggressive and compassionate" and added: "We challenge the President, Congress and presidential candidates to respond to this report by implementing its recommendations". The American Public Health Association called it "an aggressive first step towards developing an integrated national strategy to deal with

525-545: The Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health . Dr. Anthony Fauci later described the significance of Watkins' military background to the debate over the nation's response to AIDS: "To have a presidential commission chairman with his background to come out so strongly against stigma and discrimination was a very, very important step". Randy Shilts called the report "a sweeping battle plan.... AIDS

560-524: The AIDS crisis; and the Supreme Court of the United States ruling in Bowers v. Hardwick upholding the criminalization of sodomy between two consenting men in the privacy of a home. In 1986, Steve Ault and Joyce Hunter, co-coordinators of the 1979 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights , drafted documents to extant lesbian and gay organizations soliciting interest in a new march. The response

595-506: The AIDS epidemic". It produced several reports over the next 4 years. Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights The Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights was a large political rally that took place in Washington, D.C. , on October 11, 1987. Around 750,000 people participated. Its success, size, scope, and historical importance have led to it being called, "The Great March". It marked

630-434: The AIDS epidemic." The commission produced its final report on June 24, 1988. The commissioners approved it by a vote of 7 to 6. Its recommendations surprised observers by arguing against every measure advocated by conservative observers, such as mandatory testing, and characterizing partner notification as an inappropriate activity for medical professionals. Its principal findings and recommendations were designed to provide

665-540: The President should have named heterosexual experts to the commission. The commission planned visits to review activities in several localities, beginning with a two-day visit to New York City by 5 commissioners in August/September. They visited hospitals and met with volunteers, health-care providers, and representatives of gay organizations. The commission's executive director was forced to resign in September "after

700-609: The President's Commission on the HIV Epidemic on June 24, 1987. On June 26, he appointed Dr. W. Eugene Mayberry , CEO of the Mayo Clinic , to chair the commission. Jeff Levi, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force objected to the appointment of someone with no experience with the disease, but others praised Mayberry's experience in both medical research and clinical services. Administration officials said it would resist pressure from gay rights activists to include

735-461: The appointment of James D. Watkins, a retired admiral who had been Chief of Naval Operations. The New York Times said Mayberry had been "viewed as a moderating influence on the views of other members who are considered more ideological in their approach" and that "[b]y virtually all accounts, the commission has got off to a slow start in recruiting staff and organizing for its task." Myers said that "The personalities are intense" and that "I don't feel

SECTION 20

#1733085026132

770-502: The commission as currently constituted would be effective." Comments from those familiar with the commission and its responsibilities expressed dismay at the resignations. Richard Dunne, executive secretary of GMHC, said: "The AIDS epidemic is out of control, and it seems, so is the Presidential Commission on AIDS." On October 9, DeVos said that the president needed to avoid naming commissioners who were "emotionally" involved in

805-433: The commission's work and that, in one newspaper's account of his statement, "some homosexuals want to 'capture the agenda'". Years later, Watkins' wife reported that Watkins told Reagan "I'm a sailor and a submariner, and I know nothing about medicine", and that Reagan replied: "You're exactly who we're looking for." On October 11, Watkins announced plans to move quickly with reorganizing the commission staff. Noting that he

840-634: The eventual 1990 founding of the North American Bisexual Network . Lani Kaʻahumanu 's article " The Bisexual Movement: Are We Visible Yet? ", was also included in the Civil Disobedience Handbook for the Supreme Court action. The 200,000 person estimate, widely quoted from The New York Times , was made several hours before the march actually began; similarly, most of the pictures the mainstream media used were taken early in

875-494: The exception." He explained that testing and the identification of sexual partners could not be successful without such protections against discrimination: "So, once those with HIV are treated like anyone else with a disability, then we will find that what is best for the individual is also best for the public health." He said "Semen, blood, and ignorance surround this epidemic, and we were in that last category" when starting work. In an initial review, Dr. Mathilde Krim , founder of

910-633: The first national coverage of ACT UP , with AIDS activists prominent in the main march, as well as making headlines the next day during mass civil disobedience actions at the United States Supreme Court Building . The desire for a national march in the LGBT community was prompted by two major events in the 1980s: the AIDS pandemic, the Ronald Reagan administration's lack of acknowledgment of

945-534: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Watkins_Commission&oldid=933244980 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages President%27s Commission on the HIV Epidemic President Reagan issued Executive Order 12601 creating

980-401: The meeting ended, reporters and television cameras surrounded Lilly leaving him, he said, "shell-shocked" and "scared to death". Senator Gordon Humphrey , a New Hampshire Republican, attacked Lilly's appointment, said the President "should strive at all costs to avoid sending the message to society—especially to impressionable youth—that homosexuality is simply an alternative lifestyle" and said

1015-518: The morning, or of the AIDS Quilt viewing area rather than of the much larger march itself. Police on the scene estimated numbers during the actual march to be closer to 750,000. The event was supported and endorsed from its early stages by such national LGBT organizations as the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force . Faygele Ben-Miriam attended the March on Washington, who in September 1971 applied for

1050-511: The three national co-chairs of the event. The final organizational meeting for the march took place in Atlanta on May 2–3, 1987. This meeting served primarily to hammer out logistical details and determine the slate of individuals to speak at the rally. The delegates at the West Hollywood convention chose seven primary demands to serve as the platform for the 1987 March. Each of these demands

1085-524: Was favorable, and the two organized an initial planning meeting in New York City on July 16, 1986, where it was decided that the march would be held in 1987. Representatives from all known lesbian and gay organizations were subsequently invited to a national conference in New York City on November 14–16, 1986 where they would discuss the politics, logistics and organization of the event. The delegates would be addressing four primary concerns: The conference

Watkins Commission - Misplaced Pages Continue

1120-529: Was held under the slogan "For love and for life, we're not going back!" Throughout the planning weekend, delegates debated many aspects of the march itself, including the needs of more marginalized members of the community – lesbian and gay people of color, those living in poverty and with disabilities. The second meeting of the steering committee was held in January 1987 in the City of West Hollywood at City Hall. Steve Ault, Pat Norman and Kay Ostberg were elected as

1155-552: Was speaking to reporters on the day of a political march and rally in Washington , he said, "We have in Washington today one of the largest gay rights activist demonstrations that we have had—we are sensitive to them as human beings and to their issues". He continued: "We haven't done the job to date, I am sorry to say, but I feel comfortable and the other members of the commission feel comfortable that I can take it and mold them together and bring all of our prima donnas, including me, into

1190-502: Was supplemented with a broader list of demands which extended beyond the scope of single-issue LGBT concerns. In doing so, the organizers wished to underscore their recognition that oppression of one group affects oppression of all groups. The seven primary demands were: The march was part of six days of activities, with a mass wedding and protest in front of the Internal Revenue Service on October 10, and, three days later,

1225-512: Was war, Watkins reasoned, and in a war somebody must be in charge ; that's how you get things done ." Congress passed legislation sponsored by Representative Roy Rowland , a Georgia Democrat and the only physician in Congress, that created the National Commission on AIDS . The legislation specified that commission's members must be "individuals with experience and/or expertise pertinent to

#131868