It’s the Sex, Stupid
Media Monitor | By Reed Irvine and Cliff Kincaid | June 5, 2001
The survey found that 34 percent of truck drivers always stopped for sex on their routes.
When it came to Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, the media were willing, even eager, to talk about sex. But on the issue of AIDS in Africa, the emphasis in the media has been to cure, treat, or vaccinate against it. Billions of dollars are being committed to AIDS drugs and a vaccine, but nothing much seems to work so far. Drugs only delay the onset of AIDS, and a vaccine could backfire and spread the disease to more people. A recent General Accounting Office (GAO) study revealed that the main contribution of the U.S. Agency for International Development in fighting AIDS in Africa has been to distribute condoms. But their effectiveness is a matter of serious dispute.
The obvious answer to AIDS, both here and abroad, is sexual abstinence outside of marriage. The federal government has been pressured into providing federal funds for abstinence programs in the U.S., rather than just explicit sex education, but there's no evidence that a major push has been made in Africa. In fact, in Congressional testimony, the Rev. Franklin Graham of the Samaritan's Purse organization said the only true solution to AIDS was "behavioral change." He said condoms were an "inadequate" solution that had not slowed the spread of the disease. He pleaded for support for African churches and faith-based institutions.
We have found some references in the media to the rampant sexual promiscuity in Africa. The program 60 Minutes II ran a story last year about African men who had spread the disease after having sex with prostitutes. Miners who come to South Africa, the worst hit country, from the rest of the continent, have a 25 percent infection rate. Truckers have a 56 percent infection rate. The survey found that 34 percent of truck drivers always stopped for sex on their routes.
The Wall Street Journal on January 12th of this year carried a story about the risky African traditions and sexual practices that were spreading the disease. In one tribe, which practiced polygamy, the tradition was that a widow and her children and property would come under the control of the brother-in-law. But if the husband had AIDS and he gave it to his wife, the brother-in-law and his wives were put at risk of contracting AIDS.
The politically incorrect conclusion is that blacks have a more permissive attitude toward sexual promiscuity. But this doesn't just apply to Africa. 1995 statistics show that Africa had an HIV infection rate of almost 600 per 100,000 population. The region with the next highest rate of infection was the black Caribbean at about 220. North America's rate of infection was about 40. Here in the United States, blacks now account for more than 50 percent of new HIV infections.
Some of those infections may be resulting from the use of condoms, which do not prevent all HIV particles from passing through to a sexual partner. By the government's own figures, condoms are far less than 100 percent effective. Yet the Clinton Administration ran an advertising campaign on the major television networks telling people that condoms prevent AIDS. The Bush Administration has continued much of Bill Clinton's AIDS policy. Will it continue to run these pro-condom commercials, too?
Reed Irvine is the former Chairman of Accuracy In Media and Cliff Kincaid is the Editor of the AIM Report.
1 Comment | Post a Comment
July 11 at 3:54 am | #1 | Link
As the saying goes,a driver is a sweet lover. LOL! I guess drivers love to make love. right?