Gos Blank in Memorial Hermann Med Center June, 2013

Did Gos Blank die of AIDS? – UPDATED

So, did Gos Blank die of AIDS? That was the original question, was it not? That is what both AIDS dissidents and the AIDS apologist trolls are waiting to hear, isn’t it?

I don’t know how it is possible to come to any conclusion that would satisfy both sides. Any answer given would only raise more questions, though not many new ones, really. Before anyone starts dancing on Gos’ grave, let’s examine some of these questions… in Gos’ own words as much as possible. (Unless noted otherwise, all blockquotes from this point on are from Gos’ book)

Supplemental autopsy for Gos Blank: PCP detected

Supplemental autopsy for Gos Blank: PCP detected

Nearly four months after his death, and a couple of months after the “final” autopsy report was released, Gos Blank’s wife, Lisa, receive additional information in the form of a letter with the subject: “Supplemental Final Diagnoses”. According to this update, dated February 11, 2014, a stain revealed the “presence of multiple cup and/or boat shaped fungal cysts located within foamy amorphous matériai within the alveolar spaces which were characteristic of Pneumocystis jirovecii microorganisms.

Pharmaceutical solutions to AIDS are not enough

A recent phone conversation with a friend is helping me to continue to refine what I want to focus on as an AIDS dissident activist. In a passionate outburst that revealed a new side of his character, he blurted out his dismay that our society in general and our gay community in particular seems to be willing to settle for a solution to AIDS that relies exclusively on drugs from the pharmaceutical industry.

Bell's palsy

HIV causes EVERYTHING

I developed Bell’s palsy (BP) yesterday, a couple of days after striking the left side of my head rather severely on the sharp, hard edge of my car door. After self-diagnosing my symptoms, I was reluctant to seek any medical care, mainly because there really is no successful treatment or cure for BP.  Most…

Planting Peace ‘virtual pizza’ campaign to shelter homeless LGBTQ

Planting Peace ‘virtual pizza’ campaign to shelter homeless LGBTQ

I keep asking myself what does it mean when “they” can raise nearly a million dollars in a few days for an anti-gay cause that benefits only one family, while the LGBTQ community and our allies have to beg and scrap to raise an obviously modest amount of money, when considered in the bigger picture.

I am also wondering why no one with a media presence and stature comparable to Glenn Becks has stepped up to champion this initiative. Some of the names that come to mind are: Rachel Maddow, Ricky Martin, Ellen Degeneres or George Takei.

Nope, I’m not dead yet

Nope, I’m not dead yet

Who and why did someone type “jonathan barnett resistance dead?” into a Google search?

Was is it someone who had been missing my thoughtful, creative and witty writings? Someone thinking I must have died from not taking drugs for HIV? Someone wondering if I had died yet because I had started taking ARVs (at greatly reduced dosages) again?

Four years on — Gilead gets its way

Four years on — Gilead gets its way

What troubles me is the apparent willingness of an entire community to consider embracing Truvada as some sort of symbol of sexual freedom… evidenced by charges that those of us who are skeptical are guilty of being sex-negative and “slut-shaming”.

All of this on the basis of research that has been manipulated and twisted by Gilead to create a false reality of safety.

I’m resigned to the fact that Truvada as PrEP is here, regardless of what I or others fear. Now it’s mostly a question of time to see it PrEP meets the expectations of sexually active gay men…. and Gilead shareholders. The former is yet to be proven; the latter is a foregone conclusion.

Video podcast with John McNair

Video podcast with John McNair

John McNair, a musician and a philosopher from Perth, Australia, is something of a counter-cultural role model. McNair has created a very wide-ranging collection of podcast interviews with people who might get overlooked in the larger, mainstream media. I met John on Facebook a few years ago and we quickly established a rapport with each other. Last…