Dear US American reader! This is a little friendly reminder to vote and to send this article to 5 friends to remind them to vote (ask google) also. It’s a little roundup about what the candidates stand for and what’s happening in the whole sexual education debate. It seems that apart from the whole credit crunch it could be a key position in this election (and while at it check out the blog action day and think about what voting can do for poverty. Hint: ONE thing).
The condom has always been a highly political item. That hasn’t really changed much since the early 1990s and it looks like there are more than ever two radically opposed positions:
- Abstinence and opposing abortion rights are favored by McCain and the Conservative Party
- Contraception/Condom Use and support of abortion rights favored by Obama and the Democratic Party
Although to be fair here Palin thinks children should be taught about condoms..maybe someone should tell Madonna who was throwing condoms with Palin faces into the crowd at her last concert. But as a matter of fact condoms ARE important. We’ll let ONE Condoms do the explaining (just in case you were wondering, none of the items are made up):
ONE Condoms has delivered 56,300 condoms (one for every person who will be infected with HIV this year in the US) to the campaign headquarters of Senators Barack Obama and John McCain back in August. In a letter the candidates were encouraged to donate the condoms to non-profit organizations, community centers or clinics in the United States.
Unfortunately, it appears that nothing has happened. The delivered 56,300 condoms to both Obama and McCain seem to have vanished. We have word that ONE representatives were told they would be making donations but they never received confirmation and phone calls and emails went unreturned.
This poster by Abstinence the Condom might be a bit ironic, but it shows the problem very well. One million teens in the U.S. will become pregnant over the next twelve months. Ninety-five percent of those pregnancies are unintended. About one third will end in abortion; one third will end in spontaneous miscarriage; one third will continue their pregnancy to term. Better sexual education is needed.
Palin Protection: Taking Aim at Sexual Freedom condoms are an invention of the popular condom online store Condomania. They’re offering a remedy for all americans who are “worried about the implications on comprehensive sexual education, abstinence-only programs, abortion rights and gay rights”.
The Palin condom is the newest creation by Practice Safe Policy who also created the Obama and the McCain condom. This is the condom when abortion is not an option: “Approved by overly aggressive hockey moms running on moose testosterone, Palin Condoms offer the last line of defense between a bored 16-year old daughter and the toothless jock eager to ’score the winning shot’”.
Obama Condoms is one of the two original creations by Practice Safe Policy. This is how they are advertised:
- These are uncertain times. The economy’s a ball-buster and the surge went flaccid… but now there’s Obama Condoms, for a change you can believe in
- They won’t leave a bitter taste in your mouth
The McCain Condoms on the other hand “give your ‘troops’ the protection they deserve, buy McCainCondoms today! This will turn out to be the ultimate collectors item or a perfect gift for grandpa!”
- McCainCondoms are battle tested, strong and durable, for those occasions when you just need to switch your position
- Trophy wife approved
- For the proud, liberal Republican - conservative Republican
Planned Parenthood’s political arm, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund is fighting for keeping birth control affordable, for real sex education and for protecting abortion access among others. Guess whose side they’re on?
Picture credits .fenster.
Planned Parenthood compiled the list 10 things everyone should know about John McCain. These top ten things every voter should know were printed on the very popular condoms that were handed out at the Democratic National Convention. Let’s have a closer look:
- 1. John McCain opposes equal pay legislation, saying it wouldn’t do “anything to help the rights of women.”
- 2. John McCain opposes requiring health care plans to cover birth control.
- 3. John McCain opposes comprehensive, medically accurate sex education.
- 4. John McCain opposes funding to prevent unintended and teen pregnancies.
- 5. John McCain opposes funding for public education about emergency contraception.
- 6. John McCain opposes restoring family planning services for low-income women.
- 7. John McCain opposes Roe v. Wade and says it should be overturned.
- 8. John McCain wants to nominate Supreme Court justices who are “clones” of conservative Justices Alito and Roberts.
- 9. John McCain said he was “stumped” when asked whether contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV.
- 10. In his 25 years in Washington, DC, John McCain has voted anti-choice 125 times!
US Government Emblem
Picture credits DiscoWeasel
If these elections are just too much for you, then you might enjoy some humour today.
So I hope this little post will make it a little bit easier to head over and vote next month. Do these topics influence your choice at all?
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I believe what ONE Condoms is doing in this election is important and makes a bold statement. Thinking that abstinence-only sexual education works is naive of McCain-Palin campaign. As a child, I grew up watching other children being sheltered by their parents from “the real world”, which turned out to be the kids who were rebelling and were worse because of the strict nature upon which they were raised. Now, I don’t think that 2nd graders should be taught the same thing that middle schoolers should be taught, but should be gradually taught about STD’s, safe sex, and contraceptive methods according to the age group. I salute you, ONE Condoms, keep up the great work!
Posted by: Ashley Loyning | October 24, 2008 at 12:45 am
i think its great that these guys have to have a say in condoms
Posted by: jake | November 4, 2008 at 3:15 am
i also really agree with what one condoms did during the election. abstinence only education doesnt teach the students what they really need to know to protect themselves and to save their health. This was an awesome idea!! Go ONE
Posted by: Kristy Hansford | November 27, 2008 at 5:31 am