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Full Introduction
And The Band Played On, by Randy Shilts documents how the AIDS epidemic came about. Taking a poignant and shrilling look at the AIDS epidemic, Shilts captures horror of the AIDS epidemic both from the viewpoints of those who had the disease and from the viewpoints of the epidemiologists at the Center for Disease Control. In this epic examination of the making of the AIDS epidemic chronicles the complete stage of development of the AIDS epidemic over the first five-year period of the disease. In his book Shilts harshly criticizes the medical and scientific communities’ lax response to the disease during its onset, showing that the disease was treated with apathy and lack of seriousness because it first surfaced in gay community. Shilts points out that the way the disease was treated cost many lives and a great embarrassment to our country. In particular, Shilts criticize the Reagan Administration, arguing that Reagan cut funding for research into the AIDS virus, ignored imminent calls for action, and deliberately misled Congress about the severity of the AIDS crisis. Shilts is also critical of the gay community who stood by in virtual silence, The media is also accused for not standing up in anger and protest more quickly to lax response to deal with the AIDS crisis in its early stage. Using the statistics of the epidemic and the personal stories of the people who died, the survivors, and the people who tried to bring it to the world, Shilts manages to provide for us a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of AIDS in the United States.
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WELCOME
