AIDS Denialists Threaten to End Product (RED) Campaign

Just when I thought I had seen it all, AIDS Denialists are targeting Product (RED) for a Rethinking AIDS Day show of farce.Started by U2 lead singer Bono, Product (RED) raises money for HIV treatments in Africa. In just two years Product (RED) raised over $100 million and has undoubtedly saved hundreds of thousands of lives. (RED) donates to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which has saved over 3.5 million lives since 2002. Rethinking AIDS actively protests (RED). They have disrupted (RED) auctions by handing out anti-(RED) flyers. Rethinking AIDS posts anti-(RED) propaganda on its website;As posted at Rethinking AIDS,


"On February 14, 2008, Rethinking AIDS distributed a shortened version of the following objection to the (Product) RED art auction at Sotheby's in New York City, to patrons entering the building. Organized by Irish rock star Bono as part of a popular product-licensing program, the auction sought to raise money for The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria by selling art including a red balloon animal expected to fetch up to $1.2 million.

Who could possibly object to that?

On scientific grounds . . .
On moral grounds . . .
On compassionate grounds . . .
On grounds of artistic taste and responsibility . . .

We do!
The (Product) RED campaign benefits pharmaceutical companies, not Africans, by funding AIDS drug treatment in Africa. Rethinking AIDS--an international organization of more than 2,500 scientists, medical doctors, journalists, health advocates and business professionals--thinks you should know the facts about the damage to Africa (RED) asks you to support.
IGNO(RED): The Dangers of Toxic AIDS Drugs."

Now the AIDS Denialists have come up with a strategy that threatens the very existence of Product (RED).

They are distributing Stickers.

Stickers?


That is right. The AIDS Denialists have printed stickers to mock the Product (RED) campaign and they are asking AIDS Denialists to stick them on (RED) corporate partner businesses. Sounds like vandalism to me.
Here is what they are saying…..

"Does (RED) have you seeing red? Celebrate 'Rethinking AIDS Day' by distributing these cool, RAD stickers! Just send for a supply of stickers, and on April 23, drop off a few at your local (RED) participating merchant. These include Starbucks, Apple stores, Motorola, GAP, and others listed at PRODUCT RED - Shop. We're not saying you should stick them anywhere -- they're SO hard to peel off -- but hey, we can't tell you what to do."

Stickers?

Sure, but they mean really sticky stickers.
Who comes up with this stuff?

My 10 year old nephew would come up with stickers.

Well actually, he has outgrown stickers.

According to the Sticker Schemers themselves, Christine Maggiore came up with the idea just before she died of AIDS. The Sticker Guy writes,
"Christine Maggiore and i discussed making these stickers right before she died in December. Just by coincidence, I was thinking that a domain name like "questionAIDS.com" would be a good one and when I typed it in, it resolved to Alive And Well. It turned out, she owns lots of domain names and she gave me permission to put it on the stickers."

What will they do without her?

Stickers represent a whole new tactic for AIDS Denialists to get their message out.
If stickers signal the AIDS denialism of the future maybe we don’t have to worry about AIDS Denialists afterall.

Stickers!


Really?