whipper_snapper
Well-Known Member
Re: Oh for goodness sake - what will your grandchildren say about you?
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Except America it seems. Where other countries send truck loads of condoms to Ghana and many other countries, the American Christian folk don't. They believe the cure in Africa should come from abstaining from sexual relationships.
This came from the Stephen Fry program HIV and me, which I have no reason not to believe.
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That is essentially true. US Govt. money may not be used to support the use of condoms. The religious lunatics who hold a terrifying grip on the US say that it undermines the message that abstinence is best.
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A similar case of charity is the Americans forcing some African nations to grow rice to help out village economies, the Africans are getting quite good at it now, but, this is the good bit, the aid sent by America is, highly refined American rice. This tastes better than African rice, but has little nutritional value. But, tasting better means the African farmers can not even sell their own rice in the markets as the people have a taste for American white rice. The Africans do not have the facility or capability to grow such expensive crops.
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I am not sure about 'forcing ..to grow rice', but it is true that subsidised American food is being used as food aid (and the money paid to American farmers is thus counted as part of the aid budget). This sometimes destroys the value of locally grown food and ensures continued aid dependency. The same applies to many types of aid given without thought to its long term effect.
[ QUOTE ]
Except America it seems. Where other countries send truck loads of condoms to Ghana and many other countries, the American Christian folk don't. They believe the cure in Africa should come from abstaining from sexual relationships.
This came from the Stephen Fry program HIV and me, which I have no reason not to believe.
[/ QUOTE ]
That is essentially true. US Govt. money may not be used to support the use of condoms. The religious lunatics who hold a terrifying grip on the US say that it undermines the message that abstinence is best.
[ QUOTE ]
A similar case of charity is the Americans forcing some African nations to grow rice to help out village economies, the Africans are getting quite good at it now, but, this is the good bit, the aid sent by America is, highly refined American rice. This tastes better than African rice, but has little nutritional value. But, tasting better means the African farmers can not even sell their own rice in the markets as the people have a taste for American white rice. The Africans do not have the facility or capability to grow such expensive crops.
[/ QUOTE ]
I am not sure about 'forcing ..to grow rice', but it is true that subsidised American food is being used as food aid (and the money paid to American farmers is thus counted as part of the aid budget). This sometimes destroys the value of locally grown food and ensures continued aid dependency. The same applies to many types of aid given without thought to its long term effect.