| Brace yourself for one of the most cynical, most disgusting political schemes ever whipped up by the U.S. Congress -- a scheme that could kill thousands of New Jerseyans living with HIV and AIDS, perhaps someone you know and even love. In a moment we'll tell you how you can e-mail Garden State Equality's prewritten letter to your members of Congress, enabling you to take action now. It will take just seconds -- but first allow us to explain the dire situation.
Congress is about to reauthorize the Ryan White Act -- the federal funding law for HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment -- by forcing mind-boggling funding cuts upon states like New Jersey, New York and California. But especially upon New Jersey, which ranks FIFTH IN THE NATION IN REPORTED CASES OF HIV AND AIDS.
And which states will receive significantly increased funding under the planned reauthorization of Ryan White? States like Alabama and North Carolina. States with a tiny fraction of the HIV and AIDS caseload that New Jersey has.
Let's be real: The Republican-controlled Congress is showing favoritism to Republican states. The result will be the utter decimation of AIDS prevention and treatment programs in New Jersey, including impeding the heroic work of New Jersey's extraordinary statewide HIV and AIDS organization, Hyacinth.
Hyacinth, which you can visit at www.Hyacinth.org to learn more and even make an online donation in their website's "What Can I Do?" section, may be the nation's most effective HIV and AIDS service organization. This, even though Hyacinth's government funding is painfully insufficient as it is. What our friends at Hyacinth achieve with so few resources is one of the great social-service successes of our time.
Already down to the funding bone, Hyacinth, as well as the other AIDS service providers in New Jersey, have not an ounce of room to absorb the cuts proposed in Congress.
Make no mistake: THERE WILL BE NEW JERSEYANS WITH HIV AND AIDS WHO WILL DIE BECAUSE OF CONGRESS' MASSIVE FUNDING CUTS TO NEW JERSEY. That is no exaggeration.
The most grotesque part of all?
CONGRESS' REAUTHORIZATION PLAN WILL WREAK THE MOST HAVOC -- UNBEARABLE HAVOC -- ON WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR WITH HIV AND AIDS IN NEW JERSEY.
Among all U.S. states, New Jersey ranks #1 in the percentage of people with HIV or AIDS who are women.
56 percent of all New Jerseyans with HIV or AIDS are African-American. One in every 63 African-Americans in New Jersey is living with HIV or AIDS, compared to one in every 775 whites in New Jersey. AIDS is the fifth biggest killer of African-Americans in New Jersey. AIDS is the fifth biggest killer of Latinos and Latinas in New Jersey.
So how dare we not tell it like it is? Congress' new Ryan White reauthorization plan has bone-chilling implications of sexism and racism. It is vile.
WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?
The wonderful Congressman Frank Pallone (D-Monmouth and Ocean Counties), one of America's greatest champions of equality and of the rights of people with HIV and AIDS, has introduced a bill to reauthorize the Ryan White Act for one year at its long-existing funding levels -- meaning the horrible cuts to New Jersey's HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment programs would be avoided for now.
We at Garden State Equality now ask you to go to http://eqfed.org/cam... to e-mail our prewritten letter to your member of the U.S. House and to New Jersey's two U.S. Senators. The letter asks them to vote for Congressman Pallone's bill that is fair to New Jersey -- and to vote no on the evil "Barton Bill" that would decimate HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment funding for New Jersey.
Please e-mail our letter now, not later today. We are racing against time: Congressman Pallone's bill will come up for a vote likely within the next 48 hours, and both houses of Congress must reauthorize the Ryan White Act by September 30th. THIS IS OF URGENT, GRAVE CONSEQUENCE TO THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS NEW JERSEY WHOSE LIVES ARE AT STAKE.
Again, please go to http://eqfed.org/cam... to e-mail letters to your members of Congress. This may be one of the most important political actions you ever take. It could save the lives of thousands.
With deep gratitude,
Steven Goldstein
on behalf of all of us at Garden State Equality
Goldstein@GardenStateEquality.org
Cell (917) 449-8918
www.GardenStateEquality.org |
