What a bizarre and outrageous article [“Friends as Enemies,” October 4]. I don’t know what axe Eric Resnick has to grind with the Greater Cleveland AIDS Taskforce. I grant that in Ohio’s “culture of corruption,” reporters need to approach public figures with a critical eye. But this article was so twisted and baseless that Resnick’s own motives come in to question.
It is entirely appropriate in a city where AIDS cases are growing for the Department of Health and the AIDS Taskforce to approach an incoming bathhouse to explore ways to work together to ensure the health and safety of patrons. I see nothing wrong with asking a millionaire to contribute to the well-being of his patrons by providing a space for testing and counseling, and money for supplies. Has our tax-abatement mentality gotten us to where it is somehow circumspect to expect a new business to act responsibly?
As for the ad hominem attack on Earl Pike, many of us in health care know that Earl is one of the least self-serving people you will ever encounter. I once went before the AIDS Funding Collaborative, where a number of agencies pitched our sex-education programs, and after hearing the proposals, Earl Pike actually withdrew his agency’s proposal from consideration because he thought some of the other programs would serve the community better.
Resnick just wrecked his own credibility with the truly laughable insinuation that Earl Pike or Bill Tiedemann would “spur homophobia.” These are guys who live and breathe offering (and fighting for) compassionate care for LGBT folks, and anyone facing the life havoc brought on by AIDS. You really need to rein Resnick in! In addition to being ugly and inflammatory, the article may well be actionable.
Mary O’Shea
Cleveland Heights
This article appears in Oct 11-17, 2006.
Thank you for the well-stated words in response to the inaccurate arcticle by Eric Resnick. Attacks on character, especially those that are wrong, is “not playing nice.” The integrity and character of everyone in the article speak for themselves! Unfortunate is that the public reading the article may not know the stand-up people who are Earl and Bill. Homophobia, extreme poverty, and the fight against the horrific disease of HIV/AIDS need all of the available support.