Thursday, December 01, 2005 EU Gives Bush/US "Abstinence Only Policy" on AIDS the Big Finger GuardianUK: "The US has pledged $15bn over 5yrs to fight AIDS, most of which is channelled thru the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar). Pepfar grants come w/ conditions, however: 2/3 of the money has to go to pro-abstinence programs, and it is not available to any organizations w/clinics that offer abortion services or even counselling. The US is also opposed to supplying clean needles and syringes to drug users on the grounds that it could be construed as encouraging their habit. But the EU, led by the UK, showed a major split w/the US over the AIDS pandemic in a statement that tacitly urged African govts not to heed the abstinence-focused agenda of the Bush administration." Hat's off to the EU on this moment of clarity. The Bush push for abstinence is the least pro-life path one could possibly take. But since Bush (like the vehemently anti-condom/ anti-reproductive services Vatican) could care less if people live after they dare to have sex, and may actually be hoping that plenty of these non-white/ non-rich people don't live anyway. |