Petrelis Files

Who Killed the HIV Democratic Club?

This time last year, when the Harvey Milk Democratic Club was embroiled in battles over whom to support in the race for San Francisco's state senator, Carole Migden or Mark Leno, the term of the club's president, Brian Basinger, came to its scheduled end. He quickly formed an HIV/AIDS Democratic club, which has been charted by the Democratic Party's local central central committee.

I thought about the club recently because a friend pointed out we just went through important federal, state and local elections, all of which impact upon people with AIDS, and there were no meetings of the club that he could recall and no slate cards from the HIV club.

"Who killed the HIV Democratic Club in San Francisco at a time when the club might have done some good in a face November races?" my pal asked. I didn't have an answer for him, but I've Google the club and found two stories from last year about its formation, and the very out-of-date web site for the group.

From an old Bay Area Reporter story:

AIDS Housing Alliance founder Brian Basinger is a main proponent behind the new HIV club. While he is also the current president of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, Basinger said instead of reviving the Milk Club's defunct HIV caucus, he saw a need to have a separate political group for PWAs ...

However, some within the city's HIV community have questioned Basinger's motives in wanting to launch the club and have asked if it is not merely a platform he will use for a future supervisorial run. One person posting on Thrive, a Yahoo group for PWAs, said the club did not " pass my 'smell' test. Under the guise of concern for Ryan White I think this is about power and 'politics' - Gay Democratic party politics." ...

And the SF Weekly story last December delved into the rift between Migden and Leno supporters, which influenced the start of the HIV club:

Basinger got in hot water with other Milk Club leaders after telling the Bay Area Reporter last month that an October vote pushed through by Migden supporters to endorse early in the District 3 Senate race was improper. The executive board responded by taking the highly unusual step of censuring Basinger and issuing a public letter reprimanding him for "undermining" its credibility. Many Migdenites in the club suspected Basinger was trying to throw a wrench in the process because they believe he's a Leno supporter.

The HIV club's web site says the group meets at the 3 Dollar Bill cafe at the gay community center, but that cafe closed two months ago. However, if you click here, you can read the many rules and sub-regulations guiding the club.

If the club still exists and is active, could someone from the group let me know. I'll spread the word that it's alive and thriving.