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Bill Clinton made a plea yesterday for a new emphasis on monogamy as a key element in the battle against AIDS. The former U.S. president, not noted for his ability to keep his own marriage vows, said it was very important to change people’s attitudes to sex. In an interview with the BBC, recorded in Africa, Clinton told his interviewer that increasing support for monogamy was not just a problem for the continent worst hit by AIDS, but for the world. “To pretend we can ever get hold of this without dealing with that — the idea of unprotected sexual relations with unlimited numbers of partners — I think would be naive.” Experts believe that although there is no evidence that Africans have more sex, the nature of their sexual relationships may help to explain the high rate of AIDS on the continent. Research suggests there is a higher frequency of overlapping sexual partnerships, creating sexual networks that, from an epidemiological point of view, are more efficient at spreading infection.
Serial monogamy and sporadic one-off sexual encounters, as practiced in the West, are less effective at spreading infection. Clinton said the main challenge to fighting AIDS in Africa was improving health services. He said the foundation he established to promote better treatment for HIV and AIDS was focusing on cost-effective ways to improve national health systems. “You can get the universal treatment — the money’s there now, if we spend it most effectively. But we don’t have the health-care systems to reach out to people, get them tested and diagnosed in a timely fashion, get them on treatment and do the regular followups.”
You gotta admire his sense of humor.
While republicans find the irony entertaining, I think it is great for well known public figures to use their popularity and recognition for good causes.
Bill Clinton is doing a great public service for the prevention of Aids. Al Gore doing a great public service for the awareness of climate change.
I couldn’t care less Bill had his knob polished in the Oval office. We can all agree there has been no sex in the Whitehouse since and I’m not sure that’s healthy.
That’s the funniest pic I’ve seen in a while! Thanks for the laugh.
As far as what he says, slap your head and say Duh!
Of course monogamy would effectively end aids in a decade. It would also end all STD’s. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure that out.
Unfortunately some people are their own worst enemies. Not only do they not care about themselves but they also don’t care who they hurt, and as long as that continues so will all STD’s.
Why does leading by example keep coming to mind?
Where’s the contradiction? He’s only been married to one person.
Bill Clinton’s idea of monogamy is having sex with only one person at a time (no more three-ways).
Bill Clinton’s sex life continues to be comedy gold among the lowest-common-denominator crowd.
Though this fascination suggests certain issues with that particular function in your own personal life.
Anyway, gales of derisive laughter.
“Do as I say, not as I do” is not a new position in this world. Personally, I think the real crime is not recognizing that abstinence only and monogamy are theoretically wonderful ways to curb AIDS, in practice they rely on humans not being humans. Sure, it’s great for those who can manage it. But, please, remember that what works in practice is safe sex. We need to ship condoms to Africa, not preachers.
It may seem like too lofty a goal, but I think if Bill really puts his mind to it, he can probably be faithful to one girlfriend at a time.
OK, what does ROFLMAO stand for?
[When you see an acronym you don’t get, just go to The Urban Dictionary. – ed.]
Shouldn’t that be ROFLTAO?
If any of you had bothered to actually RTFA, you’d see that it states:
“Serial monogamy and sporadic one-off sexual encounters, as practiced in the West, are less effective at spreading infection.”
#9 Misanthropic, “The condom bureaucracy did what it does best, which is flood countries with condoms. Alas, supply does not create its own demand. Condom-saturated countries like Botswana have made little progress in reducing new AIDS infections, since people there don’t like to use condoms and are not yet convinced that they are at risk of HIV infection if they don’t.”
“Epstein’s view is that the cause of the AIDS crisis in Africa is what has now become known in AIDS jargon as “concurrent” relationships. Africans have about the same number of sexual partners as anyone else; they are just more likely to have more than one long-term partner at a time. Crucially, both men and women have multiple partners, in contrast to other poor societies where men may often stray but women’s monogamy is jealously guarded.”
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/20492
Monogamy is BEING MARRIED to 1 person..
I dont think it has much to do with SEX.
Also the only way to defeat AIDS, is to FREELY TEST EVERYONE…
#16: Since when has monogamy been redefined to be about marriage? It is entirely about sex with only one person. Married or not. A gay person can be monogamous or not by only having sex with their partner.
#16 – Uncle Dave
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monogamy
I don’t understand, Jägermeister.
Were you trying to support Uncle Dave or refute? The definition you gave supports Uncle Dave.
“3: the condition or practice of having a single mate during a period of time”.
Therefore Uncle Dave is right.
Did I mention that I think “Ladies Night at the Presidential Library” is a GREAT IDEA!
#19 – Ah_Yea
From the link:
Uncle Dave is ALWAYS right, thats why he’s your Great Uncle.
Seeing many African farming communities first hand, i have heard evidence that although condoms are freely distributed, the majority of Africans believe condoms are white magic and the cause of aids and therefore they refuse to wear them. Education is needed and superstition must be removed as a priority.
But then again isn’t that hypocritical, trying to change someones belief system to your own?
or is it OK to do – if it’s for the “greater” good???
#23, Speter. That reminds me of the old american indian belief that if a photograph taken of you, that your soul would be transferred to the photographic plate.
More proof the end is near.