Abstinence BS and Bush religious agenda

Abstinence like an ostrich (head in sand)

Our government uses taxpayer funds to push abstinence worldwide. Much of which is being used as a “shot in the arm” for religious organizations. (http://www.siecus.org/policy/egregrious_uses.pdf )

Since Bushco has taken over, the separation of church and state seems to not exist.

"If what you are asking is, has George Bush as president of the United States established priorities in spending for his administration? The answer is yes," said Wade F. Horn, who as assistant secretary for children and families at HHS oversees much of the spending going to conservative groups. "That is a prerogative that presidents have." (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/21/AR2006032101723_pf.html )

Congress appropriated $50 million in 2006. (http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-10-30-abstinence-message_x.htm )

The American Civil Liberties Union and Jenner & Block LLP filed a lawsuit challenging the federal government's misuse of taxpayer dollars to fund religious activities in the "Silver Ring Thing," a nationwide ministry program that uses abstinence-only sex education as a means to bring "unchurched" students to Jesus Christ.
(http://www.aclu.org/reproductiverights/gen/12602prs20050516.html )

Crushing news out of Uganda. The Bush administration’s $1 billion experiment in using abstinence messages as the basis of HIV prevention has born its first fruit: In a public speech on May 18, Uganda’s AIDS Commissioner Kihumuro Apuuli announced that HIV infections have almost doubled in Uganda over the past two years, from 70,000 in 2003 to 130,000 in 2005. And despite this chilling wake-up call, Bush has empowered Christian right activists to continue to push their abstinence-only agenda. (http://www.republicoft.com/2007/05/18/abstaining-from-reality/ )

The Bush administration is funding sexual health projects that teach children that HIV can be contracted through sweat and tears, touching genitals can result in pregnancy, and that a 43-day-old fetus is a thinking person.

The Virginia Governor has cut off state funding for abstinence-only sex education programs, citing recent studies finding that teenagers should also be taught about birth control and condoms to protect against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/12/AR2007111201716.html?hpid=sec-education )

abstinence policy hasn't worked at all
(http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=13076 )

Former Brazilian President Fernando Cardoso criticized the US for using the wrong strategy to fight Aids by promoting abstinence and fidelity. Brazil has halved the Aids death rate by setting up education campaigns, expanding basic health care and providing all those infected with anti-retroviral drugs.

Brazil announced last month that it would refuse to accept $40m in American aid rather than stigmatize prostitutes who Brazilian health workers said were essential to their anti-Aids strategy. Senegal was also cut off from US aid because prostitution is legal there.

While it goes without saying that abstinence is the best way of avoiding HIV infection, it does not make sense to ignore and deny resources to those that are sexually active who are in fact the ones most at risk of catching the virus. (http://www.globalaidsalliance.org/index.php/646 )

Brazil Refuses $40M in U.S. AIDS Grants To Protest Policy Requiring Groups To Condemn Commercial Sex Work (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/23744.php )

Latvian anti-gay strategy

Seattle-area's answer to Fred Phelps, Ken Hutcherson of Antioch Bible Church.

You might recall that back in March, Pastor Hutch made headlines because of his claim that the Bush White House's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives named him "Special Envoy for Adoptions, Family Values, Religious Freedom, and Medical Relief," and he represented himself as such in Latvia. The White House denied this, and Hutch threatened to prove his status by producing video of him being given the "power." He has yet to produce his evidence.

Southern Poverty Law Center's Casey Sanchez states that Latvian-based fundamentalist extremists are fomenting anti-gay thuggery on the West Coast, specifically among Russian and Ukrainian immigrants in the Sacramento Valley. The group calls itself the Watchmen on the Walls.

Religious Right Wrong (again)

Back in 2001 there was a court case. The religious right, in attempt to stop abortion, published the names of all Doctors who performed abortions. Their right to do so is part of our First Amendment right to free speech which was upheld by a San Francisco federal appeals court.

Of course the backlash of such did occur when "Jesus" killed two and injured seven in an abortion clinic attack.

One of their most recent "articles" claims freedom of speech is under attackin the USA. Claiming Europe is passing legislation which will criminalize speech against homosexuals and the USA is one step away! Of course the "article" doesn't link to proof of this claim.

So I looked around a bit. Indeed a French politician did get fined for an outburst in court, stating that “homosexual behaviour endangers the survival of humanity” and that “heterosexuality is morally superior to homosexuality”. This was a court case where he was being sued by 3 gay organizations.

France has a very strong hate crimes code. Nothing near what we have, or are proposing, in the USA.

I doubt France cares much about the religious rights' opinion. But it is nice to see the religious right reach out to the International Community in such a loving and giving way.

Aussie former "ex-gay" leaders denounce conversion therapy

Five former leaders of "ex-gay" ministries Down Under have publicly condemned converstion/reparative therapy, according to the Sydney Star Observer.

The Aussie leaders said they were inspired to make their comments by the recent apologies of three former "ex-gay" leaders at an "ex-gay" survivors conference in Los Angeles.

"There was not one person that I met or worked with who, in any genuine way, achieved the fundamental transformation from homosexual to heterosexual," Paul Martin, former leader of Exodus in Melbourne, told the Observer.

According to some of the former "ex-gay" leaders, conversion therapy teachers in Australia believe men become gay because they had emotionally distant fathers. Their therapy included "minders," who would follow the enrollees to make sure they were behaving themselves.

"Some people have suicided," Anthony Venn Brown, who spent 22 years trying to be straight, told the newspaper. "But most people have now come to terms with their sexuality. There is no success rate [with conversion therapy]." (The Advocate)