The National Commission of AIDS
The National Commission of AIDS, established in 1988 under the Reagan administration, was designed to address the severity of the HIV/AIDS epidemic while it also focused to motivate political and community leaders to advocate and do whatever was needed to combat the disease (Golden, Stryker, "The National Commission of AIDS). It's early initiatives were to bring awareness to the public about AIDS and to publicly rid the social stigma and discrimination that followed the disease; however, as the Bush administration took over the AIDS Commission in the early 1990s, criticisms erupted that problematized the issues of how the commission was not doing enough or focusing enough attention on the issue at hand ("Johnson Accepts Bush's Offer to Join Commission on AIDS").
Magic Johnson & The National Commission of AIDS
When Magic Johnson announced his retirement from the Los Angeles Lakers as well as revealed that he was diagnosed with AIDS in 1991, the Bush administration saw this as an opportunity to invite him to join the AIDS commission. Within the same year, Johnson became a member of the panel, believing that his participation would greatly contribute to increasing AIDS education among the public, particularly within the heterosexual, African American, and youth communities ("Johnson Accepts Bush's Offer to Join Commission on AIDS"). Unfortunately, his expectations were not met and within the following year, he resigned from his position on the National Commission of AIDS, making similar criticisms that the commission had faced years before. (Nadel, "'Magic' Johnson Resigns from National AIDS Commission").
Specifically, Johnson was dissatisfied with the commission's lack of commitment and empty promises. Upon his entry into the AIDS panel, he had help to draw up a list of 30 recommendations that they would try to achieve - most important was the commission's attempt to increase treatment for drug-abuse, provide programs for clean needle exchange, drop the ban that inhibited people with AIDS from immigrating, and increase advocacy for safe sex and AIDS education (Hilts, "Magic Johnson Quits Panel on AIDS"). However, many of these recommendations were not put into action and some of the commission's approaches to address the issue were reprimanded by other AIDS activists as weak and flawed attempts to solve the AIDS problem. Mary Fischer agrees with Johnson and provides an example of how the commission has "provided insufficient funds and promoted AIDS education programs that avoid direct discussions of sex" (Hilts, "Magic Johnson Quits Panel on AIDS").
What Johnson also saw as disappointing was the lack of involvement President Bush had with the AIDS commission. No matter how well the National Commission of AIDS may be organize or function, it is not effective without its leader. Johnson identifies how the president has greatly "dropped the ball" within this game against AIDS (Hilt, "Magic Johnson Quits Panel on AIDS").
Specifically, Johnson was dissatisfied with the commission's lack of commitment and empty promises. Upon his entry into the AIDS panel, he had help to draw up a list of 30 recommendations that they would try to achieve - most important was the commission's attempt to increase treatment for drug-abuse, provide programs for clean needle exchange, drop the ban that inhibited people with AIDS from immigrating, and increase advocacy for safe sex and AIDS education (Hilts, "Magic Johnson Quits Panel on AIDS"). However, many of these recommendations were not put into action and some of the commission's approaches to address the issue were reprimanded by other AIDS activists as weak and flawed attempts to solve the AIDS problem. Mary Fischer agrees with Johnson and provides an example of how the commission has "provided insufficient funds and promoted AIDS education programs that avoid direct discussions of sex" (Hilts, "Magic Johnson Quits Panel on AIDS").
What Johnson also saw as disappointing was the lack of involvement President Bush had with the AIDS commission. No matter how well the National Commission of AIDS may be organize or function, it is not effective without its leader. Johnson identifies how the president has greatly "dropped the ball" within this game against AIDS (Hilt, "Magic Johnson Quits Panel on AIDS").
The White House's Response to Johnson's Resignation
Upon Johnson's resignation, the White House released a statement addressing how sad they were for his decision to leave the National Commission of AIDS. However, they also assured the public that they were dedicated to the AIDS cause, reminding the people of what the Bush administration has done so far in addressing the disease: (1) "increased funding by 170%" (2) "spent 4.3 billion dollars on research, more than any other disease except cancer" since 1992 while (3) "4.9 billion dollars had been proposed for 1993" (Hilts, "Magic Johnson Quits Panel on AIDS"). However, these claims have also been criticized to lack some truth. Paul Lerner, Director of Communications for AIDS Project, Los Angeles reveals that "the actual number is 851 million dollars [spent on research]" while the rest are spent elsewhere (Nadel, "'Magic' Johnson Resigns from National AIDS Commission"). Additionally, President Bush, in particular, never addressed anything about Johnson's resignation (Hilts, "Magic Johnson Quits Panel on AIDS").
Within the 1992 presidential elections, running candidate, Bill Clinton supported Johnson's resignation. He identified that while "we've got a good AIDS Commission, good AIDS reports, [there was] no action" taken (Hilts, "Magic Johnson Quits Panel on AIDS"). Johnson, in return, expressed his interest in returning to the National Commission of AIDS if Clinton won presidency; however, the Clinton administration had not asked him to return ("Magic Johnson Wants to Rejoin AIDS Commission").
Within the 1992 presidential elections, running candidate, Bill Clinton supported Johnson's resignation. He identified that while "we've got a good AIDS Commission, good AIDS reports, [there was] no action" taken (Hilts, "Magic Johnson Quits Panel on AIDS"). Johnson, in return, expressed his interest in returning to the National Commission of AIDS if Clinton won presidency; however, the Clinton administration had not asked him to return ("Magic Johnson Wants to Rejoin AIDS Commission").
THe National Commission of AIDS After Johnson's Resignation
The National Commission of AIDS did not last for long after Johnson's resignation in 1992. It remained active until 1993 and was later succeeded by the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) in 1995 established by the Clinton administration ("A Timeline of AIDS"). This council holds similar goals to the former AIDS commission in conducting reports about AIDS and providing recommendations to how the government should go about addressing and educating the community about the disease ("Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS"). Additionally, President Clinton also established the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) in 1993 that stressed governmental efforts to reduce the number of cases of HIV/AIDS as well as provide better prevention methods through policy ("Office of National AIDS Policy").
READ More About these Issues:
A Timeline of AIDS
Donaldson S. Goldman, Jeff Stryker, "The National Commission on AIDS".
John Nadel, "'Magic' Johnson Resigns from National AIDS Commission".
"Johnson Accepts Bush's Offer to Join Commission on AIDS".
"Magic Johnson Wants to Rejoin AIDS Commission".
Office of National AIDS Policy.
Philip J. Hilts, "Magic Johnson Quits Panel on AIDS".
Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS
Donaldson S. Goldman, Jeff Stryker, "The National Commission on AIDS".
John Nadel, "'Magic' Johnson Resigns from National AIDS Commission".
"Johnson Accepts Bush's Offer to Join Commission on AIDS".
"Magic Johnson Wants to Rejoin AIDS Commission".
Office of National AIDS Policy.
Philip J. Hilts, "Magic Johnson Quits Panel on AIDS".
Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS