Acting Up on the Evening News

AIDS activists protest during the CBS Evening Newson Jan. 22, 1991

On Jan. 22, 1991, five days after the first shot was fired in the Persian Gulf War, three AIDS activists snuck onto the set of the CBS Evening News and ran in front of the camera chanting "Fight AIDS, Not Arabs!" They were quickly arrested, a flustered Dan Rather apologized to his audience, and the moment passed.

John Weir was one of the men who protested that day. Two years later, Weir spoke on AIDS community television about getting the attention of the nation and, finally, his father.



This piece was produced by Sound Portraits.