November, 1996
Feature
AIDS Quilt in D.C. Reveals Love and Hate Sewn Together
90's Spin on
Shakespeare's
"Romeo and Juliet" Breaks to New Mutiny
Quilt Puts Human Face on Statistics
By Alexia Clarke
We had often discussed the number of deaths caused by the AIDS virus, the number of people infected by HIV, and the countless number more affected by the disease. Of course we felt sorry for those who had died. Of course we felt a twinge in our hearts when we saw videos of people who were infected. Yes, some of us even cried, but our group of TAP (Teen AIDS Prevention) representatives had never been face to face with the reality of the disease until we went to Washington to view the AIDS Quilt.
The size of the Quilt is striking. As we walked around, we saw people paying their respects. Here, someone stood crying over a panel; there, others stood talking about someone they had known. Mostly, the people there were just observers like us, who had come to play a part in a demonstration against the horrible killer.
While in presence of the Quilt, we realized what we were fighting for, and fighting against. We had all the statistics before, but it was here that we read the names, and felt the people who were more than statistics: the gown of a woman, a picture of a man in the prime of his life, the dress of a baby, a football player's uniform, the dance shoes of someone. Here was the reality. People had died.
At a candlelight vigil, people stood still for a moment of silence and everyone basked in the splendor surrounding them. The candles seemed to flicker for miles. The sight created feelings of joy, sadness, and camaraderie. Couples walked hand in hand and friends linked arms in groups.
We left Washington with a new perspective. We were weighed down by the knowledge of the gargantuan enemy we face, but we were also given incentive and determination to stand and fight with all we have, by educating, volunteering, and caring.
