Aids Activist Refuses Award In Protest

One of the 20 Montanans who were honored this week for their work in fighting AIDS refused to accept the award because of what he considers the government’s continued oppression of gays and lesbians.

Mark Miller of Bozeman walked away from the podium Thursday in the Capitol rotunda, leaving behind the award presented by Gov. Marc Racicot.

Miller, a gay man and Montana State University student, recalled the 1995 Legislature’s decision to leave in place a law making homosexual acts illegal.

“I believe that the governor is a reasonable man truly concerned with our well-being, but he occupies the highest office in a state where my privacy, dignity and rights are denied me,” Miller said.