(ATN) ACT UP/San Francisco Splits; New Golden Gate Chapter

(ATN) ACT UP/San Francisco Splits; New Golden Gate Chapter

AIDS TREATMENT NEWS No. 112 - October 5, 1991
John S. James

On September 13, about a third of the 200 members of ACT UP/San Francisco left the group and formed a new organization, ACT UP/Golden Gate. The split was covered remarkably well in the three major San Francisco gay newspapers (the Bay Area Reporter, the Bay Times, and the San Francisco Sentinel), in the general-interest SF Weekly, and later in one of the major daily newspapers, the San Francisco Examiner (October 1). We will not repeat their detailed information; but since we will be reporting on both groups in the future, we included this sketch of what is happening and why.

The split came after months of increasing tension, and many people think the division will be beneficial. Both organizations are now working well, and they have begun their relationship on good terms. Some individuals will be active in both, and weekly meeting nights have been arranged to accommodate. One committee, the Youth Action Caucus of ACT UP/San Francisco, applied to also be a committee of ACT UP/Golden Gate, and was accepted. The groups are expected to work together; for example, both unanimously endorsed a call for approval of ddI and ddC before the end of the year.

Why, then, the split? The immediate issue was whether to maintain consensus, or allow decisions by an 80 percent vote. The decision to adopt voting would have had to be made by consensus, and when several people blocked that decision, the group split. (ACT UP/Golden Gate now makes decisions by a two-thirds vote, although in practice many, if not most, are unanimous.)

For both groups, demonstrations and street theater are primary tools. But ACT UP/Golden Gate also emphasizes working "within the system," as well as on the street, to get research done and make treatments available, and those who work with government agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and other mainstream organizations, want group support. ACT UP/San Francisco emphasizes the need for larger social change to end the epidemic, as well as the need for treatments. Consensus was a key issue, because giving anyone the power to block group action assured that minority voices would be heard and considered. But with 200 members with very diverse points of view (ACT UP/San Francisco had tripled in size since the June, 1990 Sixth International Conference on AIDS), it had become very difficult to get any significant action approved. Energy was increasingly devoted to process issues and infighting, instead of useful work.

Separation has freed both groups, ending paralysis, allowing productive competition, and opening the way for members who had previously left the group to now return to one or the other. Both groups will hold demonstrations in the next week (see announcement below).

The general meeting of ACT UP/San Francisco continues to be every Thursday at 7:30 PM at the Women's Building, 3543 18th St. (near Valencia). ACT UP/Golden Gate meets every Monday at 7:30 at 347 Dolores St., room 202.

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