Why is the President Asking for Financial Help for AIDS in Africa When We Have an Epidemic Here?

It is reported by national statistics that 500,000 Black Americans suffer from AIDS or the HIV virus. More than 200,000 Blacks have died from AIDS-related problems. In the past 25 years, AIDS has swept through African American families here and many of the deaths are caused by lack of knowledge and lack of treatment. So, why is the President of the United States visiting Africa, talking about financial help for AIDS victims there, when little has been done to combat a situation that medical personnel have deemed an "epidemic" right here at home? Many Black AIDS victims live right behind the White House in the ghetto-like, poverty-stricken area of Washington, D. C. Why then should the President make such sympathetic appeals for aid to Africa, when he has totally ignored the plight of these Blacks? Do you believe our American citizens should get help before we send financial aid to Africa? Should the President pay more attention to our own problems here at home?

Because he's a hypocrite. He's cut programs in the USA. He's blocked research. He ignores all domestic issues.

However, he's pretending to give a rat's @ss about the situation in Africa so that he can seem like a humanitarian.

I'm with you, he should be paying attention to our problems HERE and quit creating new problems.

While there is no doubt that Bush should pay more attention to the domestic scene, there is no comparison between the scope of the HIV/AIDS problem in Africa & in the US.

Because aid for the US is already built into the federal budget.

My answer may be distasteful to you, but it's how things work: my understanding is that he went there to promise some U.S. financial assistance for AIDS medicine for Africa. In return, the African governments would enter into an agreement to conduct trials of experimental new, unproven treatments which might be considered unethical in the U.S. due to proven medications that would almost certainly work.

That research would directly benefit blacks in the U.S. So, far from diverting his attention from the plight of U.S. blacks with AIDS, he is trying to find out which experimental procedures might someday be used in the U.S.

The President's proposal pales in comparison to what the racist ex-crackhead from Illinois is proposing.

Because, in America, we're suppose to be educated. We're supposed to have the knowledge that if you have sex without a condom, you will get AIDS or other STD's. In Africa they're helpless. Women get raped there so often. And don't give me that shi! that women get raped here. Not like in Africa. If you've ever been to Africa, you'd know what it's like there. Go to one of those countries he's helping and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. When I went there, I heard women screaming every night. They can't help it. They don't have the resources we have here. President Bush is trying to help other countries. We are one of the most developed nations in the word. While Africa is still a "Third World Continent". There are so many funds to help out the people here, he's helping the ones who go un noticed. They have an HIV positive seasemi Street character with a mother who died of AIDS. On a children's show. They did that because over 70% of ALL the population has HIV or AIDS. That there shows you how different our country is to Africa. You don't know what your talking about.

The same reason he continues to pour money into a no-win
situation in Iraq, while there are numerous problems at home
that we "can't afford" to begin fixing.

:-(

The way I look at it in this country if you get AIDS you deserve it. Everybody with half a brain knows how it's transmitted but drugs alcohol and animal instincts take over good judgement.All these people wind up on Medicaid and cost billions of dollars. If they had a constructive life,chances are it wouldn't happen. They are handing out 3 miilion free condoms a month in NY because people are too stupid lazy or cheap to get their own. At the same time governmnet is rubber stamping promiscuity. Get a safe partner for life or start liking your right hand. Yeah they give free AIDS drugs out in Africa to keep people alive to starve to death. Food is going through the roof because they are destroying it for fuel when they are trillions of gallons of oil still in the ground.

The cynical answer is that Bush wants to do something that will raise his reputation worldwide, and asking for financial help for AIDS relief in Africa is more likely to accomplish that than asking for financial help for AIDS relief in America will.

This idea probably does play some role in the decision, but not a very big one. The major point is that AIDS in Africa is a lot worse than it is in America. There are countries in Africa where the infection rate exceeds 20% (in Swaziland it's 33%). By comparison, 500,000 Black Americans with HIV works out to roughly 0.75%.

The President is trying to save his face. What an intelligent observation , he is only over there to look like he cares ,probably just another way to get an all expense paid vacation. Seven years to late,remember the Michael Moore Movie, while at a fundraiser,he said ",This is a party for the have and the have mores". He doesn't care about Africa,this is just a ploy, so people will view him as kind and caring. If that were true he would be taking care of home, but home has never been a priority for him. GOOD QUESTION!!!!!