[Straight Vermonter]

his refusal to acknowledge the AIDS epidemic until 1987

I wonder what Mr Reagan was supposed to do about AIDS? Spending on research was higher than even funding for cancer research. Was he supposed to shut down the bath houses etc? Yeah, that would have went over big.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Even more - what epidemic? What's the definition? Must've been worse than normal, but wouldn't at least 10% of people have to have it - much less die very soon - to be called an epidemic?

Hyperbole, I always thought.

[Fenris6]

"his refusal to acknowledge the AIDS epidemic until 1987"

Or the Nicotene epidemic. LOL. Smoking and AIDS are both voluntary. If the AIDS epidemic is such a big thing, why are homos still having unprotected orgies at the local bathhouse/park/etc? What a waste of money.

[CFC__VRWC]

Was he supposed to shut down the bath houses etc? Yeah, that would have went over big.

He was accused of trampling on civil rights, using the governemt to "peek in our bedrooms", called a homophobe, a Nazi, etc. for merely proposing to shut down the bathhouses.