MemeMachineGo!

Bush's war on condoms:

Three thousand years ago an amorous Egyptian couple (probably libidinous liberals) experimented with a linen pouch, producing the world's first known condom. Some right-wingers still haven't gotten over it.

Over the last few years conservative groups in President Bush's support base have declared war on condoms, in a campaign that is downright weird — but that, if successful, could lead to millions of deaths from AIDS around the world.

[...] Then there was the Condom Caper on the Web site of the Centers for Disease Control. A fact sheet on condoms was removed in July 2001 and, eventually, replaced by one that emphasized that they may not work.

I wrote about this previously. In the comments, in response to the suggestion that the page was probably just being updated and that it was an alarmist concern to suggest that the administration wanted to, or was, altering the CDC's position, I wrote:

I'll bet that as of March 1, 2003 either the page is still missing in action, or that its replacement, far from merely updating spermicide info, features a noticeably pro-abstinence and anti-condom-effectiveness change in tone.

Well, here's the old page (courtesy of the Internet Archive).

"Refraining from having sexual intercourse with an infected partner is the best way to prevent transmission of HIV and other STDs. But for those who have sexual intercourse, latex condoms are highly effective when used consistently and correctly. "

"Five U.S. studies of specific sex education programs have demonstrated that HIV education and sex education that included condom information either had no effect upon the initiation of intercourse or resulted in delayed onset of intercourse; five studies of specific programs found that HIV/sex education did not increase frequency of intercourse, and a program that included development of skills to negotiate safer sexual behaviors actually resulted in a decrease in the number of youth who initiated sex."

"STDs, including HIV infection, are preventable, and condoms represent an effective prevention tool. A recent analysis estimated that, for high-risk heterosexual men, the societal savings (in health care costs and productivity) per condom was $27, and for men who have sex with men, the savings per condom was more than $530 when condoms were used consistently and correctly with multiple partners."

And the new one:

[bold in original] The surest way to avoid transmission of sexually transmitted diseases is to abstain from sexual intercourse, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and you know is uninfected.

For persons whose sexual behaviors place them at risk for STDs, correct and consistent use of the male latex condom can reduce the risk of STD transmission. However, no protective method is 100 percent effective, and condom use cannot guarantee absolute protection against any STD.

Gone is any information on condom usage being cost-effective, education not resulting in greater promiscuity, and even details on condoms themselves, replaced with details on STDs.

I'd say I accurately called the change in tone, god help us all.