Larry Kramer!

Larry Kramer woke up every morning pissed off, he went through each day getting more pissed off and probably went to sleep in a fuckin rage. Kramer died at age 84 of pneumonia today. Yet another LOUD voice who wouldn't shut up. Ya know,the kind of people we need more of, not less.

Larry Kramer was rude, crude, nasty, mean, loud, profane, whatever it took to make this nation realize that in the 1980s a different virus was killing off gay men at an alarming rate, much to the indifference of American government. The government was seemingly content that if it wasn't them then who cares. Some in American government seemed almost giddy that the virus was killing off the gay men they so longed to be. Larry Kramer called these people "murderers" accused them of genocide and raised holy hell to make people pay attention. And pay attention they eventually did.

Kramer formed ACT UP, a gang of AIDS activists who took no shit and didnt give a fuck what polite society thought of them. They demonstrated in the streets, using tactics that offended not only many straights but also offended many gay activists. IN 1989 ACT UP invaded St Patricks Cathedral to protest the Catholic Church's outright pro-Aids stances. They disrupted the Mass, being said by sexual abuse cover up artist Cardinal John O'Connor. They lay down in the aisles, yelled, and ripped up communion hosts which outraged people for some reason. I hate to be blasphemous here, nah I really dont, but its a snack for gods sake. Yet from the President on down America got its panties in a wad. But ya know what, they sure as fuck knew what AIDS was and how many people it was killing.

Kramer was not only a loudmouth who got stuff done, he was a brilliant writer and playwright. The Normal Heart was a Tony Award winning play and an HBO film that I believe you can still see and I order you to watch it.

Larry Kramer wasnt the kind of guy you'd like to have a beer with, or much of anything else for that matter. But he was relentless. Relentless is what we need now.

I will miss his anger. My kind of guy.