Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Court blocks US on antiprostitution pledge

We read:
"The United States cannot force partners in its international fight against AIDS to denounce prostitution as a condition of getting funding, a federal appeals court said yesterday, citing the First Amendment.

The 2-to-1 ruling by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court decision in favor of four health organizations, including Pathfinder International of Watertown.

The groups had sued the government in 2005, saying their constitutional rights were violated by a provision of the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003.

“Compelling speech as a condition of receiving a government benefit cannot be squared with the First Amendment,’’ the majority wrote. “The right to communicate freely on such matters of public concern lies at the heart of the First Amendment.’’

Source

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is so twisted. If you want free speech the forego the government money. You have no right to bite the hand that feeds you.

-btm

The Duke of Stratford said...

This reminds me of the colleges that didn't want ROTC on campus but screamed and yelled when threatened with the withdrawal of Federal dollars. If you want the Federal money you have to play by their rules. If you don't want to play by their rules don't take the money.

Use the Name, Luke said...

So when giving money to organizations in an attempt to eliminate AIDS, they're not allowed to require those receiving the money to condemn a practice which leads to the spread of AIDS?

Isn't that kind of like being forced to give donations to weight loss clinics which promote fattening foods?

A. Levy said...

Ahh, once again we see an example of rational wisdom from this Nation of Laws. Is it any wonder why the world sees us as an international joke? It would be far more accurate if America were described simply as, FUBAR.

Spurwing Plover said...

Leave it to a imperial judge to favor immoralaty

Anonymous said...

The problem isn't prostitution, the problem is people having sex without condom. In Pahrump, NV, prostitution is legal and the rates of infection are nil.

http://libertarians4freedom.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

That's a very good point Gregory, but i think the main point here is not prostitution, but judges who see themselves as Gods.

Anonymous said...

"It would be far more accurate if America were described simply as, FUBAR."

If you don't like it here, get the hell out.