A day without A Day Without Weblogs

1 December 2007 | A Day Without Art, A Day Without Weblogs, AIDS, World AIDS Day | No Comments

Once, every December 1st, many of us weblogger types would shut down our weblogs in conjunction with A Day Without Art, not coincidentally on World Aids Day. It was called A Day Without Weblogs and if I recall correctly, credit for the idea can go to Mr. Brad Graham. (History check, check.)

Nowadays this kind of symbolic action has fallen into disuse. Maybe because “AIDS is bad” is squarely in a lot of people’s heads now. Maybe because weblogland grew too big and diffuse and we weren’t reaching anyone who didn’t already know. I don’t know. It could also be that everyone taking down their weblogs does nothing to help the cause, or at least it helps less than more direct action like donating money to the appropriate organizations, working in outreach programs, or just telling people who don’t read weblogs (which would be most people) that they shouldn’t go out and fuck without protection.

Still, I’m feeling awfully nostalgic lately, about a lot of different things, and I thought of all this tonight. In 2001, I wrote this short piece that makes me equally as sad now as it did then. Recently I got to explain to a younger friend of mine what a bugchaser was. The fact that there are people still living within the anger and prejudice and fear of twenty years ago makes me near speechless.

Please be careful out there. Don’t be afraid, but be safe and sane.

More: Bradlands on 12/01/2003200220012000.

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