With God on Their Side - The Presidential AIDS Advisory Council is packed with Abstinence only Advocates, and many members know little about the field of HIV/AIDS.
|
 |
|---|---|
Dandrick Moton from Arkansas recruited a group of kids who has taken a public pledge of abstinence to show other kids that virginity until marriage is "a realistic approach." He acknowledges that "I'm not and expert on AIDS" |
Cynthia Gomez, co-director of the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies at the University of California/SF says, "For any other advisory group, you'd be hard pressed to find someone to suggest that a third to a half of the council should be composed of people who don't know the field." |
 |
 |
Rachida Jolly Ms. DC. and self-proclaimed virgin who once interned at the Heritage Foundation |
Joseph Jennings, former gang member and evangelical "motivational speaker" who uses a scared-straight style to send a message of abstinence from sex and drugs to at-risk youth. |
 |
|
Dr. Joseph S. McIlhaney, founder of the so-called " Medical Institute for Sexual Health"(MISH) The institute promotes abstinence only education. One of his most famous quotes: "...I knew 'safe sex' wasn't the answer." McIlhaney claimed in an editorial that the evidence supporting condoms was so thin that promoting their use amounted to "consumer fraud." (Washington Times Feb.11, 2001)
|
Hank McKinnell, CEO of the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer |
 |
|
| Anita Smith, from Childrens AIDS Fund, a pro-abstinence outfit whose major contribution to AIDS seems to be providing gifts to children with AIDS at Christmas time. Anita Smith is married to Shepard Smith who sits on the boards of the Children's AIDS Fund and the Medical Institute for Sexual Health(MISH). MISH is known for quoting unpublished graduate student papers as if they were legitimate peer-reviewed research. |
Thirty four current Bush AIDS Advisory Council members include only one scientist, and a handful of public health officials from rural states. The council has 9 longtime advocates of abstinence-only HIV prevention. There is not a single member who is a representative from a major national AIDS organization. Phizer contributed $1.4 million to the Republican party during Bush's first presidential bid. The presence of a drug company CEO creates an appearance of conflict of interest.