This past Monday, Dec. 1, was World AIDS Day. Each year, all over the globe, people gather to remember those lost to the AIDS epidemic as well as reenergize efforts to fighting the disease. AIDS Project of the Ozarks hosts Springfield’s commemoration. The last two years the event has been held on the Square.
The event is a candlelight vigil where hymns are sung, prayers are said and sobering statistics are disbursed. This year, APO also had the good fortune to have a piece of the AIDS quilt. Ordinarily, it’s a moving memorial.
This year, it was marred by the bad taste of what, I’m assuming, was the City of Springfield. Yes, it’s Christmas. And yes, we all want to celebrate and be merry. But I would think that whomever was responsible for the enormous lit “tree” that belched loud and raucous Christmas Carols all through the ceremony could have at least bothered to turn it off for APO’s hour long event.
The upshot was struggling to hear the speakers and straining to make out our own hymns while “Jingle Bells” tore through Park Central Square like a drunk elephant. It was a testament to patience that the group attending the vigil made it through without running amok and unplugging the ghastly thing.
AIDS effects all people. Even if one does not suffer from the disease one can be directly impacted by AIDS, whether gay or straight. Next year, I cordially ask for far more respect than we were shown this year.
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