ABSTRACT
In the vocabulary of the old left, the reason for living was revolution. We comprise the first generation who does not think that the future will be better. We fear the future. We live in a profound state of nostalgia. Concepts like revolution just become reminders of the impossibility of change. One man whose act of resistance profoundly affected is Derrick Bell. He is a black law professor who had an appointment at Harvard Law School. Bell believes, as a result of his own life's experiences, that racism is a permanent institution of American life. It is an inherent characteristic of American culture and forms a crucial part of the economic, social, and political life of the nation. Resolutions are currently pending in Oregon, Colorado, Tampa, Florida, and Portland, Maine that would significantly limit the rights of gay men and lesbians. Simultaneously, this nation continues to abandon people with AIDS and has no compassion for their survivors.
