Lets assume for a moment that prostitution is a major contributing factor which, by the way, is not necessarily so. I am from Holland where prostitution is legal but it is not a major contribution to the spread of AIDS, and most Dutch people do not have a moral issue with prostitution. But lets say it is a major contributing factor. Then the offer to help the AIDS problem is not that at all. It is, at best, an offer to treat the sufferers of AIDS but not (one of) the so claimed causes - prostitution. So how serious is the offer if you refuse to address the so called cause of the spread but only the results of it? The next step after this would be you will only get help if you can prove you did not get it via a prostitute. And then only if you are worthy of the treatment. And then ....

The problem with this position is that it is not really a genuine humanitarian offer of help at all, but rather a strings attached, moral high ground, political positioning offer to appease the voters.

Your statement "they don't want to promote behaviors that are contributing to the spread of the disease" sounds like you think the Brazilians will take the money to build luxury brothels to promote the sex trade and cause even more spread of AIDS. It gives no credence to the Brazilians in understanding and dealing with the AIDS problem.


>Maybe they don't want to promote behaviors that are contributing to the spread of the disease. Brizalian prostitutes are not US's problem. It's something that the home local gov't should deal with.
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>Whether you agree with the policy or not, it's an offer of help. I think you should be more angry that the Brizalian gov't turned down the money.
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>>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4513805.stm
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>>OK, I am not very fond of the idea of prostitution myself, but what sort of madness is this - not wanting to treat prostitutes for AIDS??? Looks as if some people are quite eager to disseminate AIDS. As if this would only infect the prostitutes and their clients!