9 senseless social panics that did lasting damage to America

[malthaussen]

11. Funny how the herpes panic has been forgotten.

You could argue that the AIDS hysteria was worse, but consider the situation at the time. After a decade already being condemned for gross excess, the Retribution of God (tm) struck Good White Folks Just Like Me and You (tm). Remember the Time cover about "The New Scarlet Letter?" The AIDS epidemic, OTOH, was initially scoffed at, even sneakily approved, because it was the disease that only struck gays and blacks, and who cared about them? Dunno about you, kids, but I remember acquaintances telling me that AIDS was a good thing because it was killing off society's refuse.


Let's review the first press conference to mention AIDS, 15 October 1982:

Q: Larry, does the President have any reaction to the announcement — the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, that AIDS is now an epidemic and have over 600 cases?
MR. SPEAKES: What’s AIDS?
Q: Over a third of them have died. It’s known as “gay plague.” (Laughter.) No, it is. I mean it’s a pretty serious thing that one in every three people that get this have died. And I wondered if the President is aware of it?
MR. SPEAKES: I don’t have it. Do you? (Laughter.)
Q: No, I don’t.
MR. SPEAKES: You didn’t answer my question.
Q: Well, I just wondered, does the President—
MR. SPEAKES: How do you know? (Laughter.)
Q: In other words, the White House looks on this as a great joke?
MR. SPEAKES: No, I don’t know anything about it, Lester.
Q: Does the President, does anybody in the White House know about this epidemic, Larry?
MR. SPEAKES: I don’t think so. I don’t think there’s been any—
Q: Nobody knows?
MR. SPEAKES: There has been no personal experience here, Lester.
Q: No, I mean, I thought you were keeping—
MR. SPEAKES: I checked thoroughly with Dr. Ruge this morning and he’s had no—(laughter)—no patients suffering from AIDS or whatever it is.
Q: The President doesn’t have gay plague, is that what you’re saying or what?
MR. SPEAKES: No, I didn’t say that.
Q: Didn’t say that?
MR. SPEAKES: I thought I heard you on the State Department over there. Why didn’t you stay there? (Laughter.)
Q: Because I love you, Larry, that’s why. (Laughter.)
MR. SPEAKES: Oh, I see. Just don’t put it in those terms, Lester. (Laughter.)
Q: Oh, I retract that.
MR. SPEAKES: I hope so.
Q: It’s too late.


Hardee-har-har and chuckle, chuckle. And suddenly, herpes dropped right off the radar.

I wonder why that happened?

-- Mal