[CIMC-work] RE: Letter draft for Proposal to CABN for film screening...

[donald goldhamer]

Hi Mitchell, RIta, and all,

Regarding a letter to CABN, I would strongly urge that we DISCUSS THIS
FURTHER AT THE MEETING SUNDAY.  I held a brief discussion with Andy Thayer
and would like to share some feedback of that brief chat.

I have a few views regarding our approach:

1. The most important objective is to strenthen and sustain C-IMC's relations
   with Chicago's activist community and to respect them, their processes and
   views, and the structures they use in their organizing.

2. C-IMC's role is to provide information and to educate.

3. there are a number of ways which we can proceed in developing this topic

4. re: CABN -- to announce that C-IMC was going to act "whether or not they
   agree" and before discussions have been held with them would be
   counterproductive.  

I would take the unusual (for me) step of "blocking" the assertion of
consensus on sending such a letter immediately.

See y'all Sunday,

--Don

>Rita made some (I think) constructive points to the letter proposal that I
>sent earlier to the imc-chicago-working list.  I'm copying her letter
>below for your perusal.  If nobody raises any additional matters of point,
>I'll send this version of the letter to CABN later today (with a cc to 
>imc-chicago-working).
>Thanks.
>_ Z  Mitchell Szczepanczyk

>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Wed Jan 21 00:19:23 2004
>From: rsand at mc.net
>To: msszczep at midway.uchicago.edu
>Subject: RE: [CIMC-work] Letter draft for Proposal for film screening...

>Dear Mitchell: I changed your letter a lot.  I don't think we should sound
>like we are asking their permission to show the film.  We need to be
>straight forward, let them know that we value their opinion, but that we
>intend to show the film with or without their blessing.  I hope this peaks
>their interest.  I think if they see the film they would not protest its
>showing whether or not they agree to cosponsor the event.
>Feedback always welcome, 
>Rita
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Dear Chicago Anti-Bashing Network,

>A number of Chicago Indymedia members have screened a film among
>ourselves, and we're hoping to bring this film to a wider audience in
>cooperation with CABN

>The film is called "The Other Side of AIDS" -- made by Christine
>Maggiorie, an HIV positive woman who runs a nonprofit called Alive and
>Well AIDS Alternatives.  The film has the potential to be considered
>highly controversial, since it questions the HIV-AIDS hypothesis and the
>use of toxic drugs to treat HIV positive people, their children and those
>who have AIDS.

>The film makes a number of salient points that are important to both gay
>and straight communities but have been censored in the corporate media.
>Therefore, we would like to screen it to a wider community as a joint
>project with CABN.

>Two questions we have:

>(1) Are you familiar with this film?
>(2) Would you be interested in cosponsoring a screening of the film?

>Please let us know when you would be able to screen the film with your members so that you can make your decision.

>We would also be willing to bring some invited guests who can answer
>questions to either this proposed CABN/CIMC screening, and/or to a public
>screening.

>We look forward to your reply.
><END LETTER DRAFT>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>From: msszczep at midway.uchicago.edu
>To: rsand at mc.net
>Sent: Jan 17, 2004  3:59 PM 
>Subject: [CIMC-work] Letter draft for Proposal for film screening...

>I finally have time to write this letter (modeled some on Rita's email to
>the working list).  Please look this over and let me know what you 
>think.  If no one has any additional suggestions, I'll email this to
>CABN's email address sometime early next week.

><BEGIN LETTER DRAFT>
>Dear Chicago Anti-Bashing Network,
>
>A number of Chicago Indymedia members have screened a film among
>ourselves, and we're hoping to bring this film to a wider audience, but
>we're wondering if we might ask for your opinion and assistance.

>The film is called "The Other Side of AIDS" -- a film made by an HIV
>positive woman.  The film has the potential to be considered highly
>controversial, since it calls into question the hypothesis that HIV is the 
>cause of AIDS and the film especially questions the toxic drugs used to
>treat people who have AIDS.  

>The film makes a number of salient points, and we would like to screen
>it to a wider community, but we are uncertain about the possible reaction
>that this film may invoke--particularly among members of the LGBT activist
>community in Chicago.

>Two questions we have:
>(1) Are you familiar with this film?
>(2) Can you say anything about the opinion of the LGBT community (activist
>  and otherwise) to questioning the HIV/AIDS link?
>(3) Would you be interested in cosponsoring a screening of the film?

>We would certainly be willing to screen this first among members of CABN
>so that you are familiar with the film before bringing it to a wider
>audience.

>We would also be willing to bring some invited guests who can answer
>questions to either this proposed CABN/CIMC screening, and/or to a public
>screening.

>We look forward to your reply.
><END LETTER DRAFT>
>_ Z  Mitchell Szczepanczyk