On the other hand, as a member of Act Up beginning in 1990, I was part of a movement that almost everyone presumed to be doomed to fail.

People mocked us and rolled their eyes when we took to the streets in outrage chanting, "Stop killing us." Sure, we got some respect, particularly among gay men with HIV, but a lot of people today forget that the general consensus at the time was that we were a bunch of angry idiots who didn’t know when to give in or up or whatever. We were too radical. We didn’t understand reality. Everybody knew we didn’t know what it took to effect actual positive change.

Everybody was wrong.

Historians today agree that without Act Up, effective treatment for HIV would have been delayed for many more years.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that sure, sometimes it’s probably a good idea to know when to give up. But other times, it’s an excellent idea to say fuck that, I refuse, I will not give up no matter what you say.