Supreme Court strikes down anti-prostitution pledge as condition of AIDS funding

[cali]

The Supreme Court struck down a federal law Thursday that forces private health organizations to denounce prostitution as a condition to get AIDS funding.

Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the court, said the law’s anti-prostitution pledge improperly restricts the groups’ First Amendment rights.

Four organizations that work in Africa, Asia and South America challenged the 2003 law, arguing their work has nothing to do with prostitution.

The Obama administration argued it is reasonable for the government to give money only to groups that oppose prostitution and sex trafficking because they contribute to the spread of HIV and AIDS. It said that public money then could free up private funds that might be spent in a way that would undermine the government’s mission.

<snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/supreme-court-strikes-down-anti-prostitution-pledge-as-condition-of-aids-funding/2013/06/20/814c04b0-d9b5-11e2-b418-9dfa095e125d_story.html

good.

[OregonBlue]

1. Scalia And Thomas were the disenters. How are countries supposed to fight AIDS if they are not

allowed to treat prostitutes?