And he says the rest of the country is also not willing to address the causes of AIDS in Africa.
"Good liberals in the white Midwest are not going to have a conversation about promiscuity and sexual behavior in Africa," Rivers said.
He said that when he tried to organize a symposium on AIDS at the Boston Harvard Club, only 79 people came although 500 invitations were sent.
Despite the difficulties, Rivers said media organizations have begun covering the crisis, citing recent cover stories on the Economist and Newsweek as well as features series in the Boston Globe and on ABC's Nightline.
And Rivers said the increased media attention may make the epidemic an issue in the presidential campaign this year.
"We have to challenge Gore and Bush and persuade other leaders to have a foreign policy on Africa," Rivers said.
But Rivers said the fight against AIDS in Africa is just starting.
"We have to have public education, political advocacy and humanitarian assistance" to combat AIDS, Rivers said.