U.S. Ordered to Halt Linking Aid to Anti-Prostitution Oath

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Inter Press Service News Agency

U.S. Ordered to Halt Linking Aid to Anti-Prostitution Oath
By Carey L. Biron

WASHINGTON, Jun 20 2013 (IPS) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday overturned a decade-long practise under which the government linked global HIV/AIDS funding to a controversial requirement that organisations explicitly state their opposition to prostitution.

The court’s decision to overturn the mandate surprised many observers, with the 6-2 ruling now being lauded as a major victory by a broad coalition of global health, women’s rights and free speech advocacy groups.

~ snip ~
Thursday’s court decision hinges on a view of the anti-prostitution oath as infringing on free speech, as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution’s first amendment.

“The [oath] requirement mandates that recipients of federal funds explicitly agree with the Government’s policy to oppose prostitution,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority. “The First Amendment, however, ‘prohibits the government from telling people what they must say.



Read more: http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/06/u-s-ordered-to-halt-linking-aid-to-anti-prostitution-oath/

[dembotoz]

1. Oath?? I promise not to use a prostitute unless i am really really horny?

[former9thward]

7. It was organizations receiving AIDs funds.

Not individuals. Prostitution is not a victory for 'womens rights'. It is continued exploitation and in many cases slavery for women. Globally it is the biggest spreader of AIDs. Some victory....

[99th_Monkey]

2. So, ONE thing our Left & Right Wings can agree on, is that prostitution ain't so bad really.

Well, that's as good a place as any to start building from, I guess.

[redqueen]

3. Or it could be an indication that the left needs ro evolve on that issue.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/human-trafficking-persists-despite-legality-of-prostitution-in-germany-a-902533.html

[99th_Monkey]

4. Yah! There IS that.

If totally stopping ALL human trafficking was the ONLY possible public benefit
that might happen as a result of legalization, then legalization would be a lame
public policy.

But, as we both probably know, there are many other public benefits, besides
it's impact on reducing human trafficking; such as much better access to health
care services for the prostitutes, not criminalizing poor destitute women who are
"choosing" that as a life-style because there aren't any real jobs, or for whatever
reasons she may have.

[ChazII]

8. Redqueen, thank you

for posting this article. My blood boils when so many people are dismissive of stories like this one. They remind of the southerners who said that being a slave wasn't such a bad thing prior to our Civil War. The pimps do charge the women for their room and board at the brothels. Often they are not let inside if they haven't met their quota for the day.

[Ednahilda]

5. When I heard this on the news, I wondered

if the Supreme Court's recognition that the same Fifth Amendment that "prohibits the government from telling people what they must say" about prostitution might nullify the laws that require doctors to tell women that abortions cause breast cancer and all sorts of other things demanded by anti-choicers.

[elleng]

6. Yes, I hope the analogy will hold;

I think its valid.

an earlier post on the subject: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3053748

[Ednahilda]

9. Must have missed that post.

But it shows that great minds think alike.

[elleng]

10. Yes indeed, Ednahilda!