Wordless Wednesday

Kanokkorn Kobhiran, a resident of Bangkok, Thailand, shows off her outfit made of more than 2,500 condoms. She had it made in preparation for the upcoming World AIDS Day on Dec. 1.

theteach

Courtney posted this on Feministing:

July 14, 2007

Network Hypocrisy Over Condom Ads

FOX and CBS have both recently refused to air ads for condoms that emphasize their use as a birth control method. When interviewed by the New York Times, a FOX rep said, that the decision was based on their policy that condom ads "must stress health-related issues rather than the prevention of pregnancy." In other words, it is okay to educate consumers about STDs, but empowering them to make reproductive choices is beyond the purview of two of our nation's most sex-saturated networks. Oh my. Check out my full take on this disappointment at Alternet. Posted by Courtney at 11:07 PM |

theteach

McCain and HIV Prevention

I hate to say this but I think John McCain may be losing it. I read on Caffeinated Politics about McCain's really dumb fumbling with regard to his position on HIV/AIDS prevention and condoms. NYT TheCaucus blog

Then I went to Daily Kos and read some of the comments on McCain and his inability to articulate (remember!) his position on HIV prevention.

A few people wondered if McCain is getting old? I guess that's valid but I'm getting old and I know where I stand on abstinence (doesn't work) and condoms (give them out to kids in high school.) My memory isn't as good as it was when I was young but, come on, I don't forget IMPORTANT things, like, my name, address, phone number.

Another few wondered, and this is serious, if maybe what he suffered in Vietnam is beginning to have an effect.

Maybe, and I'm cutting him some slack, he was taken aback by the question. Maybe he hasn't been asked the question in a long time...and he just doesn't know where he's stood in the past. Oh now that's bad...

The comments on Kos point out that McCain has done a lot of pandering in the past on this issue and so now he has no idea where he's at. Tch, tch Mr. McCain.

Here's something McCain said a few years ago quoted from Daily Kos comments:

The ethical implications of not doing everything in our power to slow the spread of this disease are severe. The most basic morality requires that we commit ourselves to combating HIV/AIDS everywhere

Here's what his South Carolina campaign manager, Trey Walker, said about McCain's stance in February 2007:

"Senator McCain has a long legislative record of supporting abstinence-based initiatives in his record in the U.S. Senate. He thinks that abstinence is healthier and should be promoted in our society for young people."

Of course that's unfortunate...more pandering now to right-wing conservatives...

And all this on McCain's "Straight Talk Express" bus trip in the Midwest. It's a real shame.

theteach