Final answer:
The government ignored the AIDS crisis and did not take any action, leading to ignorance, misinformation, and a high number of deaths.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that best describes the reaction to the AIDS crisis is that the government ignored the AIDS crisis and did not take any action.
During the 1980s, there was a lack of public health warnings, media attention, and funding for research and education about AIDS. The Reagan administration did not address the issue until 1985 and refused to support education or research efforts until pressured to do so in the late 1980s.
As a result, there was ignorance, misinformation, and discrimination surrounding the disease, leading to a high number of deaths in the 1980s.