Donna Summer's Never-Before-Published 1989 Letter to 'ACT UP' Asking for Forgiveness

POZ's Peter Staley looks back at Donna Summer's attempt to mend her divide with the gay community six years after the Village Voice published anti-gay remarks she had reportedly made, calling AIDS "a punishment from God".

Staley writes:

"As some in the community continued to embrace her, others grew angrier at her hedged denials (words like "misunderstanding" were used), and the issue continued to percolate...By 1989, various ACT UP chapters started protesting at Donna Summer appearances...To everyone's surprise, Donna Summer wrote a letter to ACT UP New York attempting to mend the divide. A few quotes from the letter were reported at the time, and appeared often in recent online obituaries, but the letter itself has never been seen publicly...I don't think ACT UP kept up their demonstrations after she sent it, but that probably had more to do with our priorities at the time, rather than this strange letter. Note to PR agents: when you apologize to the gays, it's probably not best to quote at length from the bible (even though it's a lovely quote)."

Read the second part of the letter and a text transcript HERE.

And in related news, this is a still of Staley (along with the trailer) from How to Survive a Plague, being handled with gloves by police officers afraid of being infected with the HIV virus at an ACT UP demonstration.

'How To Survive a Plague' Gets a Teaser Trailer: VIDEO

David France's documentary about the gay community's battle to obtain live-saving drugs at the height of the AIDS crisis gets a teaser trailer. The film is currently on the festival circuit with plans for release in September.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

Rachel Maddow Salutes The AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power: VIDEO

ACT UP celebrated its 25th birthday last week, and Rachel Maddow celebrated along with them. Did you know she used to be a member?

She did. And to commemorate the birthday, she and her people put together the excellent video below. It's got a lot of archival footage of ACT UP's many ballsy public actions, and ends on this note:

AIDS has killed more than 30 million people worldwide. Even in the United States right now there are thousands of HIV-positive Americans on waiting lists for treatment. On waiting lists for what are called the "AIDS drug assistance programs" in the States. Programs that do not have enough money to get HIV treatment to Americans who need it. In this country. in 2012.

With adequate treatment and healthcare, living with HIV can be a chronic manageable condition now. And that's mostly the way we think of it in this country now. Even though around the world, and even here at home, not everyone is there yet and more needs to be done.

But the reason AIDS can be a chronic manageable condition, the reason it is possible to imagine it ending, the reason ending it is in reach even now -- in significant part is due to a very radical group called ACT UP, which I belonged to for a big, defining chunk of my life before I was ever in media. And which has a deserved place in American history that a lot of people will try to ensure never gets told. But it will be told.

Happy 25th birthday, ACT UP. You set out really aggressively and controversially to change the world. And you changed the world. 

Watch AFTER THE JUMP ...

Arrests Made During ACT-UP's Wall Street Protest

Nine activists were arrested during a Wall Street occupation celebrating the HIV/AIDS group ACT-UP's 25th anniversary yesterday.

Via the New York Daily News:

The ACT-UP demonstrators managed to hook the chain to light posts under the noses of cops patrolling the key intersection.

“Hey, you can’t do that,” one officer said as a protester clicked the padlock shut and plopped himself down on Broadway.

Holding up signs that read “Tax Wall St., End Aids,” the chanting demonstrators then refused to move.

Minutes later, a police officer arrived with a bolt-cutter and snipped the chain while other cops picked up the protesters and placed them in police vans.

“Hey, these are people here,” one demonstrator yelled as cops stood him up.

“We know,” an officer replied.

The activists are calling on the government to pass a "Financial Speculative Tax" that would tax speculative market trades to fund AIDS research and treatment.

ACT-UP to Hold 25th Anniversary Demonstration Tomorrow in March from City Hall to Wall Street

ACT-UP is marking its 25th anniversary tomorrow morning at 11 am with a demonstration and march.

From the organizers:

Hundreds of AIDS activists will gather outside City Hall to hear brief speeches on current topics of concern on HIV/AIDS issues, with specific demands, including the need for a Financial Speculative Tax to be funneled to health care.  The demonstration will leave City Hall and go down Broadway, with a couple of other stops at key locations, ending at Trinity Church with a personal commemoration of loved ones lost to AIDS. ACT-UP chapters and supporters are busing into New York from Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, Washington and other cities to participate with the New York groups.  A number of supportive national and local organizations and individuals will join ACT-UP in the demonstration, including Housing Works, National Nurses United, and Occupy Wall Street, among many others.

Acts of civil disobedience may occur during the demonstration, which is expected to last about two to two and a half hours.

Speaking at the demonstration will be Eric Sawyer, ACT-UP and UNAIDS, Brent Nicholson Earle, ACT-UP, Wanda Hernandez, Vocal NY, Jose DeMarco/ACT-UP Philadelphia, Amanda Love, African Services Committee, Annette Gaudino, Health Care for the 99%/OWS, and Sam Aldi,National Nurses United, among others.

More information HERE.