Brazil to U.S.: Keep Your Money

[Troubleshooter]

http://www.alternet.org/envirohealth/21965/

Brazil has rejected $40 million in U.S. funds for fighting AIDS because of demands that it condemn prostitution, a key participant in its flagship AIDS program. The move is seen by some observers as a rejection of Washington's head-in-the-sand linkage of neo-con morality and foreign aid.

''Biblical principles [are] their guide, not science," Pedro Chequer, director of Brazil's AIDS program told media outlets on Wednesday. "This premise is inadequate because it hurts our autonomous national policy."

Acting in accordance with a 2003 federal law, U.S. Congress demanded that Brazil publicly condemn prostitution before accepting the funds from the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID. Prostitution is a legal industry in Brazil and a key civic player in fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS.

...more...

[jaguar]

good on them.

[OnyxCougar]

Wanting them to ban prostitution isn't *only* based on religious premise but *duh* scientifically proven to reduce AIDS cases.

I hate how people make everything religious. Taking the religious aspect out of it, not having sex with 10-20 people a day (or with people who have sex with other people every day) reduces your risk of contracting HIV/AIDS.

So yeah, I think that if you're going to accept money from us to reduce AIDS, you need to revamp your policy allowing prostitution. It's cool if you don't want the money, you're not hurting *my* feelings any.

And remind me not to sleep with any Brazilians.

[jinx]

Originally Posted by OnyxCougar

I hate how people make everything religious.

but.. but...

The administration has a stipulation that 30% of US anti-Aids funds go through faith-based organisations, which typically support the abstinence policy.

Originally Posted by lookout

Originally Posted by lookout

in the end, i don't really give a shit about whores in brazil, or their HIV problem... except for the fact that they seem to think it is appropriate to spend my tax dollars on their problem as long as we don't make any demands for change.

Changes to a program that's already

considered a model by international health organizations

? So they can be more like us?

The report finds that infections are on the rise in the United States and Western Europe. In the US, an estimated 950 000 people are living with HIV – up from 900 000 in 2001.

We've also made trade deals that restrict other (poor) countries from producing their own generic aids meds. Doesn't that just mean that american tax payers are buying expensive drugs, from american pharmaceutical companies, for poor countries? Who benefits from this? [rhetorical]

Originally Posted by lookout

once upon a time, in America, nobody could imagine a future where smoking would be looked at as a negative. now the smokers are crying that the world is against them. i'm not saying i want to villainize whores... but it isn't that hard to take it out of the advertising,

I've never been to Brazil, do their whore ads look like this?

[lookout123]

I've never been to Brazil, do their whore ads look like this?

no - the majority of advertising is a hand on the cock, and the subtle "wanna f*?", or "ever F* a black girl?" - something along those lines.

the print ads are in the newspapers and phonebooks such as they are. not exactly subtle there either.

in the end, i don't really give a shit about whores in brazil, or their HIV problem... except for the fact that they seem to think it is appropriate to spend my tax dollars on their problem as long as we don't make any demands for change.

Changes to a program that's already Quote:

considered a model by international health organizations

I think you missed the important part of my post so i'll repeat it. I DON'T REALLY GIVE A SHIT ABOUT WHORES IN BRAZIL, OR THEIR HIV PROBLEM. but, if we are offering $40MM for a problem we didn't create for them, i think we can put whatever stipulations on the funds we want. see? the money, for something that isn't our problem is more annoying to me than the HIV problem in a nation that A) isn't mine, and B) has an open, public, and encouraged sex trade.

[Silent]

Originally Posted by lookout123

I think you missed the important part of my post so i'll repeat it. I DON'T REALLY GIVE A SHIT ABOUT WHORES IN BRAZIL, OR THEIR HIV PROBLEM. but, if we are offering $40MM for a problem we didn't create for them, i think we can put whatever stipulations on the funds we want. see? the money, for something that isn't our problem is more annoying to me than the HIV problem in a nation that A) isn't mine, and B) has an open, public, and encouraged sex trade.

Do you really think that any world wide mass communicable disease "Isn't your problem"?

[lookout123]

are you suggesting that i might be infected through a handshake? or by making eye contact?

i'm pretty sure that i've been told for the last 20-25 years that if i am monogamous with an uninfected person, don't use needle drugs, and don't make a habit of exchanging DNA with unknown people, i should be ok.

so yeah, i guess i am saying it's not my problem. not to the point where i feel obligated to send them $40MM, and then see them criticize the very people giving them the money.

but for the record... i was stating that their nation isn't mine.

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by lookout123

if we are offering $40MM for a problem we didn't create for them, i think we can put whatever stipulations on the funds we want. see?

Is anyone disputing the right of the US to place stipulations? I just see people questioning the wisdom of the particular stipulations. Of course the administration can put any stipulation they like on it. That doesn't mean they should, or that people shouldn't question the choice of stipulations.

[jaguar]

but *duh* scientifically proven to reduce AIDS cases.

er...really? Where. How exactly do you stop it anyway?

[OnyxCougar]

.....

One of the best ways to avoid contracting an STD is to not engage in sexual behavior with multiple partners.

Where are you going with this, Jag?

[Troubleshooter]

If I may Jaguar?

Prohibition

[OnyxCougar]

OK, since I'm completely lost, I'll just quit now.

[lookout123]

i'm not really in favor of waging combat on prostitution, but maybe if it wasn't quite so widespread and a large part of your tourist draw, you wouldn't have quite as many folks swapping DNA... just a thought.

[Beestie]

Why are we giving money to Brazil anyway? Let Brazil fight its own AIDS problem and put that $40M to work right here in America.

Originally Posted by jaguar

How exactly do you stop [a sexually transmitted disease] anyway?

Dude, like, where's my car?

[lookout123]

beestie has the right idea. we can use the $40MM to test any Brazilians who want to come to the US. let them figure out their own HIV solutions. what have they ever given us? other than the thong. and the brazilian bikini wax. and LOTS of beautiful women. with sexy accents. now that i think of it, maybe we could spend that $40MM to search their nation and help their clean, non-whore, beauties move to the US... arizona would be a good place for them i guess.