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Rodger McFarlane, Who Led AIDS-Related Groups, Dies at 54 (of suicide)
New York Times ^ | May 18, 2009 | Dennis Hevesi

Posted on 05/19/2009 10:04:14 AM PDT by reaganaut1

Rodger McFarlane, a leader in the gay rights movement during the early days of the AIDS epidemic and the first executive director of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, died Friday in Truth or Consequences, N.M. He was 54 and lived in Denver.

He committed suicide, Mr. McFarlane’s brother John confirmed. In a letter that he left, Mr. McFarlane wrote that he was unwilling to become further debilitated by heart and back problems. He had broken his back in 2002.

Mr. McFarlane was director of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis from 1982 through 1985. The organization, which now provides services for more than 15,000 people affected by H.I.V. and AIDS in New York City, was an early and vocal advocate for public and private research to deal with the disease.

Mr. McFarlane went on to lead two other prominent AIDS-related organizations. From 1989 to 1994 he was executive director of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, a partnership of two theater-industry groups that provides grants for AIDS services. He was later president of Bailey House, which provides housing for homeless people with AIDS.

From 2004 to 2008, Mr. McFarlane was executive director of the Gill Foundation in Denver. Founded by the software entrepreneur Tim Gill, the foundation finances programs advocating lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights.

The Gay Men’s Health Crisis was started in 1982 by six men who had lost friends to AIDS and were dismayed by the lack of services for those with the disease.

Among the founders was the playwright and gay rights activist Larry Kramer, who became a close friend of Mr. McFarlane.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: brokeback; homosexualagenda; pooflinger; rumpranger; suicide; timgill; turdburglar
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To: Bobalu

I think FR used to be better than that...now it is the norm to make crude jokes about others and knee jerk replies to something that particular poster knows little or nothing about. Many if not most, are not untouched by a relative or a friend whose life style is not what we would prefer. You are so right-send up prayers for him and his family.


21 posted on 05/19/2009 10:22:18 AM PDT by newhouse
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To: reaganaut1
McFarlane wrote that he was unwilling to become further debilitated by heart and back problems.

Sadly, those are the least of his worries right now.


22 posted on 05/19/2009 10:23:01 AM PDT by SkyPilot
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Comment #23 Removed by Moderator

To: reaganaut1

Fits the pattern.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2086698/posts


24 posted on 05/19/2009 10:34:11 AM PDT by Walkingfeather
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To: Pistolshot
Some call themselves 'Christians'.

True, but they do not call themselves 'saints'.

25 posted on 05/19/2009 10:38:58 AM PDT by yankeedame ("Oh, I can take it but I'd much rather dish it out.")
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To: SkyPilot
Matt 7:1 "Judge not lest ye be judged."

John 8:7 "So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."

26 posted on 05/19/2009 10:45:33 AM PDT by Beloved Levinite (R.I.P. My Beautiful America - Land of the Free & Home of the Brave - 20 January 2009)
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To: Tijeras_Slim
If it was Datil or Wagnon Mound, I’d definitely do it.

I'd almost do it even if I DIDN'T have the health problems.

27 posted on 05/19/2009 10:46:40 AM PDT by Pistolshot (The Soap-box, The Ballot-box, The Jury-box, And The Cartridge-Box ...we are past 2 of them.)
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To: lefty-lie-spy
And some Conservatives don’t care about Christianity.

If 'Christianity' is about being judgemental and vindictive, no thanks.

Chrstianity is love for your fellow man, and forgiveness.

Anything else is false.

28 posted on 05/19/2009 10:50:04 AM PDT by Pistolshot (The Soap-box, The Ballot-box, The Jury-box, And The Cartridge-Box ...we are past 2 of them.)
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To: Pistolshot

A bad back doesn’t seem worth dying over. Especially someone who obviously considered themselves an “activist”. Why give up? Did he advocate suicide for people with poor health or chronic injuries? It is sad.


29 posted on 05/19/2009 10:54:13 AM PDT by visualops (portraits.artlife.us or visit my freeper page)
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To: reaganaut1

Good catch!


30 posted on 05/19/2009 11:01:08 AM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion....the Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: NinoFan

And we wonder why liberals say that conservatives hate gays.


31 posted on 05/19/2009 11:07:21 AM PDT by Coronal
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To: visualops
Since I have chronic problems from a broken back and a broken neck, let me tell you what his possibilties for the future were.

1)Arthritis, in pain so bad, only unconsciousness would relieve it.
2)Loss of bowel control. Completely, no indication, no recourse but a diaper, if he could feel it.
3)Paralysis. Sooner or later the spinal cord will be blocked, pressured, cut or pinched. Then you are wheelchair bound with drugs and a bag attached. Or like Christopher Reeve
4)Loss of upper brain functions. Some of the drugs work exceedingly well for a number of connected maladies, but the higher brain functions suffer. And memory gets worse.
5)Depending on the break and the portion of the cord that gets pinched, a repirator may be neccessary, and eating will be fluids only.

In other words total medical care given by others.

Not a pretty future for anyone.

Not really what you would call 'living'.

32 posted on 05/19/2009 11:12:54 AM PDT by Pistolshot (The Soap-box, The Ballot-box, The Jury-box, And The Cartridge-Box ...we are past 2 of them.)
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To: Beloved Levinite
Leviticus 20:13

If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

Ain't me that is going to be the judge. Ole' Rodger is going to face the Big Man and answer for his actions. Romans 1:27 also addresses the issue.

33 posted on 05/19/2009 11:20:58 AM PDT by vetvetdoug
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To: Beloved Levinite; vetvetdoug
Christ Himself spoke more about hell than he did about heaven. Both hell and heaven are realities. Christ spoke about both the latter, as well as the former, for a reason.

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

Matthew 7: 13-14

Christ was very serious about speaking about hell. Why did He do this? To warn people, in no uncertain terms, that damnation in hell is real.

The Bible describes hell as a place of eternal torment, forever separated from God. In Matthew 25:46, Jesus said that the unrighteous "will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." Clearly both life in heaven and punishment in hell are eternal. Jesus said that people "will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" and into "the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth," (Matthew 8:12 and Matthew 13:42).

Moreover, Christ warned people like the scribes and Pharisees (who rejected Yeshua). He asked them rhetorically, how could they expect to escape hell itself?

"You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell?"

Matthew 23:33

Unless Rodger McFarlane gave his life to Christ before he died and repented of his sins (statistically 'death bed' conversions are almost nil, but for his sake I hope he did); then his fate should serve as a warning. God will not be mocked.

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap."

(Galatians 6:7)

Christians are not to judge self righteously, but they are also not to be door mats to false teachings, or not to discern what is evil and what is good.

Judge not! What does that mean?

Also, be careful about misinterpreting the "Judge not!" mantra without the context that Christ gave it. It is a scourge of our generation, and an enemy of the truth.

How 'Judge not' is destroying America

As I said in my post, it is sad that the least of McFarland's problems now are his back and his heart issues. Unless he was saved by the Grace of Christ by accepting Him, then according to every biblical teaching and scripture, McFarland is damned.

It is not a thing to be celebrated. But, it is a reality of sin. Sin is so terrible to God that He had to send His only son to be tortured, mutilated, and murdered to pay our penalty.

34 posted on 05/19/2009 12:29:31 PM PDT by SkyPilot
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To: NinoFan
Who cares? After all, he was just a filthy, disease ridden queer

Stop mincing words and tell us what you really think.
35 posted on 05/19/2009 12:36:10 PM PDT by reagan_fanatic (When you put Democrats in charge, stupid things happen)
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To: NinoFan

“Who cares? After all, he was just a filthy, disease ridden queer.”

Projecting?


36 posted on 05/19/2009 12:41:34 PM PDT by AppyPappy (If you aren't part of the solution, there is good money to be made prolonging the problem.)
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To: Coronal; AppyPappy

Sorry, forgot the sarcasm tag.


37 posted on 05/19/2009 12:46:34 PM PDT by NinoFan
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To: SkyPilot
Luke.18

[18] And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

[19] And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

[20] Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.

[21] And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

[22] Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing:

______________________________________

What was the one thing the man was lacking?

Do you lack that one thing?

38 posted on 05/19/2009 1:22:53 PM PDT by Ken H
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To: reaganaut1

May he rest in peace.

Rodger McFarlane contributed a great deal to the world as first executive director of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, an organization that provides much needed help and comfort to those affected by AIDS and was so critical back in the early days of the epidemic. He was an inspiration to many and will be deeply missed.


39 posted on 05/19/2009 4:14:16 PM PDT by Cara C
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To: Pistolshot

Of course it’s living. Maybe one’s life is more than ones self. Maybe it’s family and friends, or strangers. Maybe we don’t know God’s purpose and why some suffer with physical problems or others with mental anguish. I have met people with terrible handicaps whose love and appreciation for life absolutely humbled me. And I think to myself if a person can even just for a moment touch one persons life is that not some greater purpose. I think it’s everybody’s loss when someone throws away what is already so brief and precious.
I am sorry you are suffering, but I am glad you are here.


40 posted on 05/19/2009 5:24:17 PM PDT by visualops (portraits.artlife.us or visit my freeper page)
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