| christian grantham | |||
| Christian Grantham was a student activist in the late 90s and later was a consultant to domestic policy forums for the Clinton Administration as well as events for HRC and GLAAD. | |||
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latest posts
February 16, 2005
The chorus of activists in our community asking us to be sensitive to drug users and to reject fear-based education is killing our community.
If shame and fear don't work to protect people from drugs and risky behavior, why do Police departments report wide success of visits to the morgue for young DUI first offenders? Why do psychological studies report that first impressions are more lasting when the emotion of fear was involved? Why do political campaigns constantly capitalize on those facts and win? And why do AIDS activists report that the one thing cyrstal meth does to a person that puts them at risk is remove the fear of contracting HIV?
The San Francisco Department of Health's "Crystal Mess" advertisements - which depict harsh images of crystal methamphetamine addicts - provoked mixed reactions when recently displayed at the Castro Muni transit station. Some anonymous people wrote or plastered remarks against the campaign directly on the advertisements. Comments included "Don't shame me," "Not a Villain Not a Victim" and "No love, no compassion, no pride." "The ads were not meant to judge anybody," said Steven Tierney, SFHD's director of HIV prevention. "From the response we have gotten, a lot of people recognize themselves or their friends in the ads. That is who the ads were designed for," he said.
"It's not really a negative message," said one former meth addict at a community forum hosted by the Stop AIDS Project. "It is the reality of what speed does. I loved it," said the recovering addict who thought the city ads were "like looking in the mirror."
[CALIFORNIA: Crystal Campaigns Spark Mixed Reactions - Aegis - 12-07-04]
The Gay Crack.
Later that month, DEA agents and U.S. Postal inspectors intercepted a package that had been shipped by Federal Express from Arizona to Philadelphia, en route to the home of two of the gay dealers.The box contained more than 100 grams of 100-percent pure crystal meth, also known as "Tina" and "crystal death." Agents arrested the intended recipients of the package, two gay men who lived in South Philadelphia, in their home on Wolf Street near 20th. Both admitted they'd been trafficking in ice for some time.
[Feds: Gays dealing drugs - Philadelphia Daily News - 02-16-05]
In exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in direct contributions, local and national organizations are turning a blind eye to the dark side of major circuit party scenes. Some of these events proudly emblazen the names of these groups on promotional materials advertising men in underwear, or less, at parties that go well into the next morning and often spill into "after hours" parties complete with crystal meth and unprotected sex. Will shaming these otherwise respectable organizations from helping to promote these events work?
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