Please forgive me if this is not the right forum to ask this question.

As the US provides life saving medical treatment and food to impovrished nations, do we also provide and strongly promote the use of contraception? If not, isn't it an endless expense for the US? Just something I've always been curious about.

I know here in the U.K we provide all kinds of help to the poorer nations, which is how it should be.
This will also include contraception and the knowledge of how to use them.

IN this world today there is no reason why anyone should be without any of lifes basics.

Whether it is an expense or not... is not or should it be the issue here,it's looking after each other... TREAT THY NEIGHBOUR AS THY SELF... springs to mind.

There is enough of everything in this world, for everybody... but for the sake of GREED.

My comment above should read: I need someone to answer who has knowledge of what the United States is doing in these situations. I don't know why it posted before I was finished.

How can expense not be an issue? Where do you think the money comes from? The average American family is drowning. The cost of living is going up but wages and job availability is not. I agree that everyone should have their basic needs met. I'm by no means saying we should not help these people. But here at home, our banks are failing, our social security is dissolving, unemployement is skyrocketing, the welfare system is broken, and we have an ever increasing poverty stricken and homeless population. Not to mention the whole health care issue. Where is all the money for the families in our Appalachian mountains who are going without their basic needs. Here in North Carolina, we even have areas that still do not have running water. I do know that there are whole nations that do not have running water, but they are not asked to put billions into development of other countries. I just feel like we keep pouring money into unwinnable (is that a word?) situations. The "war" included. I just wish our government would take care of home first so that we will be stronger and better able to help take care of the world.

I love my country with all my heart. I want her to be as strong and stable as she can be. If that makes me "greedy"... so be it.

I am not an American as I have stated... but understand that any member on this board who holds an opinion, is perfectly entitled to do so.. you may not agree as you've already stated,that's fine... it's what these boards are all about...



However I stand by my original comments on your question...

What ever hardship we are going through, whether it be personal or worldwide, there is always someone who has less.

Whilst I understand your point of view, which applies to most countries, including my own,I could not revel in the comfort of my own home, whilst people were left to die in another part of the world.

Governments have a lot to answer for... ordinary people are not the same and will give their last penny to help their fellow man.

Please know that I am not intending these posts to be taken in a hostile, hateful tone. I really do not want to upset anyone. I totally agree that we should help. All I'm saying is... and I'll use a quote from our new chief of police speaking of the police dept... "We cannot continue to do things the way we always have and expect a different outcome."

I'm just wondering if the people of these countries are aware or are being educated to the fact that they can't keep having unprotected sex spreading HIV and having multiple children who are left orphaned due to the disease, and think that their situation is ever going to improve. They cannot expect other countries to take care of them forever. I'm sure they want to be self sufficient. I'm just wondering what steps are being taken to help see that this happens.

I didn't mean for this to turn into a "feelings" post, I just wondered what the US policy was on this issue. But... since it has, and you stated above that we are all allowed to state an opinion, I'll just tell you... A few years ago, I was watching a news program about the terrible condition of a country in Africa. They interviewed a woman who said (through translator) that they had been wondering when the Americans were going to come help them. In the next segment there were hundreds in the street protesting that we were even there. I feel like we're da_ _ed if we do, and da_ _ed if we don't. It sickens me to turn on the TV and see people cursing and hating the United States and burning our flag and calling us devils and the scum of the Earth, and then be asked for help.

I don't pretend to know how all the politics of running the world go. There are people much smarter than me in charge of all that stuff, but something has got to change or there will not be a United States to love or hate.

This is not a matter of US policy. This is a matter of State or local policy. Public Assistance is subject to administration on a local level, not by the Federal government. The locality (sometimes the state sometimes the county or city) sets the policy for the distribution of public assistance.

Some areas have given out condoms, but generally this was more due to fear of the spread of AIDS then as an issue of birth control. The current Federal administration has a policy of abstinence rather than birth control. In my opinion, to use public money to fund birth control because people don't have the will power to abstain, is wrong.

I think the thought is to provide birth control to the impoverished countries that the US is sending aid to, Scott, not to provide birth control at a local level.

Whoops I did read this wrong. Bu given the Fed's stand on abstinence it would seem to be against policy.

Not only is the current policy to promote abstinence, the 'Global Gag Rule' prohibits mentioning alternative methods of birth control. When they do mention condoms, the gov gives most of its support to groups who spread false info about them.

As to whether its 'good' policy' to help other nations when so much money needs to be spent here, one aspect is that it's a much better use of national security funds than is being spent in Iraq. The more you decrease poverty and dissent, the less rebellious the populace is and the more secure they feel. This decreases violence overall and decreases the dissatisfaction that leads many to fall under the spell of violent terrorists.


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