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LAFFER, THE BesT MEDICInE Every pyramid scheme needs an "cxpert"to make it seem legit, and the biggest one of all, sup- ply-side economics, had Arthur Laffer. But-now Ronald Reagan's favorite economist may have shilled for one too many greedheads. Laffer is named in a class-action suit against FundAmerica Inc., the so- called yuppie pyramid based in Irvine, Cali- fornia. FundAmerica attracted 100,000 mem- bers by advertising itself as'a discuint buying club for upscale con>unsrs. utront Florida authorities say it is nothing more than au: illegal pyranid sehe-nt. and have charged the company anc. I nder Robert Edwar is with or- ganized fraud, securities fraud, and illegal lottery Petrells calls diagnosed with Kaposi's sarcoma in 1985, has activity.When the clamp- himself"ACT UP's ACT UP. Uncivil "outed" allegedly gay closeted politcians who vote against pro-gay legislation. He's started a boycott of Disobedience Marlboro cigarettes and Miller beer to protest Philip Morris's campaign support of Jesse Helms (R-NC). Now Petrelis is calling for a more final solution: E SHOULD HAVE SHUT DOWN THE assassination. "If someone took out Jesse Helms or subway and burned down city hall. I William Dannemeyar of California, I would be the think rioting is a valid tactic and should first to stand up and applaud." be tried." That's ACT UP renegade Michael Petrelis, Several ACT UP chapters around the country have down cane in August, ruing the missed opportunities at last summer's In- written nonviolence into their charrers, but New Laffer resigned his Fund- ternational AIDS Conference in San Francisto. While York's, the oldest and largest, has not. "We'd rather America directorship, ACT UP forges an uneasy detente with its adversaries keep the other side guessing," says New York ACT claiming he'd been out of This AIDS ---some ACT UP members now UP leader Peter Staley. But assassination? Statey: "! the loop all along. Mem- serve on a National Institutes of think even Michael willsay that he's speaking for bers filing the class-action Health advisory panel-Petrelis himself when he says things like that." Kramer: "I extremistis suit are not appeased, wants to step up the war. His in wish someone would do that, but I'm sorry I don't even though Fund- spiration is Stonewall, not Selma: have the guts to do it myself." for riots and "Civil disobedience has become America has fled for Petrelis sees his role as ACT UP's own ACT UP. What if he has his way, and people with AIDS riot bankruptcy. Their at- institutionalized; it's a cliche. We assassination. shall not overcome by singing and torch city hall? What if innocent bystanders are torney told the San "+e Shall Overcome." killed? "I know what I advocate is not going to take Francisco Chronicle that Petrelis's brashness makes even ACT UP members root and grow," Petrelis hedges. "So many people in his clients!.ave been ACT UP and the gay movement have been condi- bilked out of fifty million squeamish, and leaders emphasize that he does not speak for the organization. But Larry Kramer, the tioned to think that nonviolence is the only way to dollars - and Laffer is writer and ACT UP founder, who also advocates go." Then he's back to his old self. "Would I take partly to blame, "because rioting, defends ti-e noisy P'errelis as an important responsibility? Yes! All people with AIDS are inno- he appeared in a lund- voice in the group. "He's rurned obnoxiousness into cent. We're talki about eighty-five thousand America video very an art form." Americans dead with AIDS. Where's the prominently." The Washington, D.C.--based Petrelis, wno was comparison?" --- Michael Willrich ~David Beers 16 MOTHER JONES/NOV./DEC. 1990 Photographs by Charles S:eck and AP/Wide World (Laffer