Reagan will never die
Now that Reagan is no longer the leading story, I really and truly express my disdain for the man as President and as a human being. I think the man was vile, racist, and homophobic. As a black gay man I have many reasons not to like the man.

Most of America forgets that Reagan announced his 1980 candidacy for President in Mississippi. Mississippi at the time was still clinging to many of its ol' confederate ways. It had only been less than 20 years since civil rights worker were killed there fighting for equal voting rights, a very basic constitutional right (like marriage). Reagan announced his presidency here with the promise of less government or more "states rights." Translation: I'm going let you treat the niggers, kikes, and fags anyway you go old boys see fit.

Let us also note that while he was an affirmed believer in "state's rights" yet he supported the policies of South Africa, which was an Apartheid state at the time. On one hand he supports the people and not the government having the power to control their lives but as long as the people aren't dark skinned indigenous people.

Reagan also is lauded for putting Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court but this same man painted a portrait of the black woman as the "Welfare Queen." As a matter of fact, the Reagan administration coined the term. The actual "Welfare Queen" that had several cars, homes and too many children while she received multiple checks has never been proven. Of course, if you hear something long enough....it must be true, right? Wrong. There never was a "Welfare Queen." It was propaganda that only served to degrade an already oppressed group of people that included my single mother who worked her ass off to take care of three children. We managed but it was no thanks to the Reagans. While my mother added filler to her ground beef to stretch it out so that all of her children could eat, the Reagans were throwing some of the most lavish dinner parties and spectacles the White House has ever seen.

I grew up in Peoria. The first time I ever heard of AIDS was in 1983. It was the end of my freshman year of high school. As a state requirement, freshman had to pass a semester of Speech. I used to earn extra cash by writing speeches for other students to use. My only requirement besides cash only was that the student had to provide the supporting material (articles, books, etc.) Renee Tyler, a friend of mine, was a regular customer and a dancer. She had dance magazines that talked about this new disease that was taking its toll in the dance community.

That was 1983. In 1983, 1,503 Americans died of AIDS. Reagan never even acknowledged there was such a disease. It was not that important apparently. As a matter of fact, Reagan mentions the word "AIDS" in public for the first time in response to a reporters questions on September 17, 1985. Official US deaths attributed to AIDS 1985 and earlier: 12,591 (but don't worry folks, it was mostly fags and druggies). More info.