The Gipper, Redux - Playing off John's earlier post about Reagan, there's now word that uproar over The Reagans may pale in comparison to the reactions to the upcoming HBO telefilm adaptation of Angels in America. It shows fictionalized versions of what was happening at the White House and to gays following the discovery of AIDS. I remember seeing the play at the ACT Theater in San Francisco in 1995, and while it was a very affecting, emotional show, it was so rich, complex and long that it was nearly impossible for me to focus on everything happening within the play. Reading And the Band Played On was a revelation to me...I'm glad that gay literature for gay teen can be about falling in love and not about contending with AIDS. But it's an important reminder that most of us younger gay men, who grew up during the gap between the height of the AIDS crisis and the advent of Gay-Straight Alliances, have an obligation to learn about recent gay history.