Be Safe

I've been reading what has become a pethora of material (editorials, opinion pieces, reports) on what I guess we could all call the crystal-meth-gay-condomless-stupid-fucker syndrome that, apparently, has captured and fascinated straight media attention to the extent that even William F. Buckley, Jr. (the founder of The National Review) wrote a piece in, of all places, the Sacramento Bee, entitled, "Killers at large," (February 18, 2005 edition) in which he suggests that, perhaps, the crystal-meth-gay-condomless-stupid-fuckers be tatooted in order that their potential sexual partners will know that they are crystal-meth-gay-condomless-stupid-fuckers who happen to be H.I.V. positive.

A scarlet "A" perhaps on the forehead?

Buckley also suggests that, hey, if people are murderers and if their method of murder is passing on a new drug-resistant strain of H.I.V. to other people, then, we ought to be reading their -- the crystal-meth-gay-condomless-stupid-fucker's mail because it may save a life.

I'm not sure if the crystal-meth-gay-condomless-stupid-fuckers get or send letters that discuss their sexual habits and partners but, hey, if it would save a life ... let's knock ourselves out. We might need to bring John Ashcroft back. But, whatever it takes.

Actually, those gay and non-gay folks who work in the health field and are seeing, firsthand -- particularly in New York -- this very frightening behavior (which, I'll betcha' ain't confined to gay men!) are suggesting that places where sex parties occur should be crashed by, um, I guess health workers who would then confront the gathered throng and exbarrass them into ... ah, going home, using condoms, flushing their meth down the toilet? Also being suggested is that WEB sites that offer opportunities for gay liaisons involving crystal meth be infiltrated and ... what?

Yet, of course, others are suggesting that, like alcoholism or smoking addiction, the crystal-meth-gay-condomless-stupid-fuckers ain't gonna slipslide into a wee bit healthier lifestyle unless they, themselves, understand the consequences, or most likely consequences of their acts. Yeah, in a short story I posted not too long ago, I noted that there is a basic tenet in law that says each reasonable man is presumed to intend the natural consequences of his acts. Now, I don't know if the crystal-meth-gay-condomless-stupid-fuckers could be considered reasonable or not. But, I think they probably have episodes of reasonableness that sure as shit ought to be used to consider consequences; to consider life; to consider death; to actually care about themselves and their partners.

I read somewhere that some psychologist (probably in New York) is suggesting that gay men are using methamphetamines as antidepressants. Jesus, what's that about? If you're a psychologist treating gay men and you're accepting your patient's bullshit about his need for methamphetamines because he's depressed, then, honey, you're a fucking enabler of the crystal-meth-gay-condomless-stupid-fucker syndrome and, one can only hope, your soul will rot in hell ... or Newark.

What's the answer? I -- and many, many other gay men -- saw the bogeyman's writings on the walls of one dark bathroom or another in the fall of 1981, and by the next year I had settled into a relationship that has persisted through twenty-three years. I do believe David and I saved each other's lives. We understood then, twenty-three years ago, that there were risks and what the consequences of those risks might be (even though, and perhaps in spite of, the great American medical community which remained quite dumbfounded by the whole thing for a very, very long time). The bogeyman had shown his ace and I guess the most fortunate of us folded and stepped away from the table.

I don't know what the answer is. I only know what the answer was for David and me.

Be safe.