They designed and ordered a 3’500 Dollar inflatable condom made from a parachute-like material.

It was made to fit the whole house and of course to carry an important promotional message: “A condom to stop unsafe politics. Helms is deadlier than a virus” (the dimensions of the Helms’s house were estimated from a photograph).

Fully inflated the condom along with the reservoir tip covered the entire roof and front of Helm’s house. The action, planned along with a Greenpeace experienced advisor, went smoothly that day and possibly helped spread awareness for this delicate topic.

I like this story and I guess it was a far bigger sensation in 1991 than it would have been today. But what I actually wanted to suggest, who’s with me to condomize the Vatican?

You can read more on this piece of Aids activism here:

• Condomizing Jesse Helms’ House
• In Memory of Jesse Helms, and The Condom On His House