"I Will Not Be a Nasty Pig"

I find this whole swine flu hysteria maddening on so many levels.

First of all, every news organization is doing their best to scare us. No, to frighten us. Frighten us out of our friggin' minds.

Then, after we're all running into the streets so we can purchase masks before Walgreens runs out (P.S. They've already run out), the same news organizations have the nerve to say, "We don't want to scare anyone."

It reminds me of my ex-boyfriend smiling at me and saying...

"I didn't WANT to hit you. You MADE ME hit you. And I hit you for your OWN GOOD."

But more than that, every time one of these "possible pandemics" hits the airwaves, I can't help but think...

What if the media had done this kind of work when AIDS started killing gay men? Back before it was even called AIDS. Or GRID. 

What if President Reagan had led press conferences? What if the CDC had done their fucking job?

I'd have a lot of friends alive today. At least, that's what I think. At least, that's what I hope.

But it's foolish to hope or think about that. Because it didn't happen. Because AIDS was killing people who nobody cared about. And in 1980, who really gave a fuck if a faggot died?

I know, that's a lot. As my friend Angel from Angel's Crash Pad once wrote about me...

"You're so ACT UP! 

Once an 80's fag, always an 80's fag."

True, baby. Very, very true.

But at least I can watch these 70's PSAs, urging the public to get a swine flu shot, and laugh. I laugh the most during the second PSA, because when the voiceover says...

"Joe brought it home from the office. He gave it to Betty. And to one of his kids. And to Betty's mother."

...I imagine they're talking about the Clap. It's just fucked up enough to make me giggle.

Enjoy. And wear your masks...