Moses Kagan's Aurora Borealis

Of all the things Jesse Helms did in his long career, waging a long, bitter rear-guard action to block funding for AIDS prevention and treatment was the worst. Here is the relevant part of the Times obituary:

"He fought bitterly against federal financing for AIDS research and treatment, saying the disease resulted from 'unnatural' and 'disgusting' homosexual behavior. "Nothing positive happened to Sodom and Gomorrah," he said, "and nothing positive is likely to happen to America if our people succumb to the drumbeats of support for the homosexual lifestyle."

Helm's personal crusade against funding for AIDS meant that thousands, possibly millions, of people here and around the world died needlessly from a disease which (with a bit more research) eventually proved manageable, if not yet curable.

There's a tendency in life to smooth over awkward moments and misbehavior in people's lives after they're gone. In this instance, the impulse ought to be avoided. Jesse Helms was a cruel, mean, selfish, bigoted man whose legacy ought to serve as a warning to others who hold similar views now.

The long arc of American history bends toward freedom and compassion and equality. Stand in its way and you will be remembered harshly. Good riddance, Jesse.

Labels: Jesse Helms