Quote:
Originally Posted by Archaea
What I don't understand is how you equate current AIDS policies with homophobia.
Current policy funds AIDS research exponentially greater than its US impact. In fact, it receives preferential treatment, far greater than its impact would predict.
The policy is more one of Africaphobia. Because Africa is not economically beneficial to the US, we do not look to change matters there. And that is how a government should act. Individual action, including charity, should not convey transitively those attributes to government, as government poses a different function. If individuals wish to render charitable acts, that makes sense but religious injunctions are rarely instructions in good government. They are instructions in personal character.
Whenever a government tries to engage in charitable acts for a long term policy, without examination geopolitically, then we are not wise with our limited resources. All government acts of long term duration, should have ties to them.
Africa, as a resource, is NOT geopolitically important to the US interests, outside of perhaps Egypt, maybe South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. If some significant resources are discovered for exploitation, then we could reexamine.
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When did I say I do equate AIDS policy with homophobia? I said homophobia affects AIDS policy (it is "much of the problem"), not that it solely directs AIDS policy.
I tend to think one of the reasons we don't do more in Africa with AIDS is because we view the disease through US glasses, thinking of it as a "gay disease" (though that perception is changing, largely due to Magic Johnson- who has also affected the perception that AIDS is deadly through his remission; does Magic Johnson just have a magic johnson?). Many Americans feel that those with AIDS deserve it, so many, including many on this board like Il Padrino, advocate spending nothing on AIDS research through tax dollars. That DOES impact AIDS policy, and I think it is tied to a degree to homophobia.
US disinterest in Africa is also a problem.