Jimmie Hatz
An American condom manufacturer, Common Ground AUSA, is marketing its new line of “hip-hop” condoms to teenagers. Called Jimmie Hatz condoms (jimmie hat is a slang term for condom), the condoms appeal to youth who are part of the “hip-hop culture,” especially minorities and urban teens. Harry Terrell, CEO of Common Ground USA, stated, “Basically, what we’ve tried to do here is make it the cool thing to do, the ‘in’ thing to do, to protect your- self.” The condoms, named “Great Dane” and “Rottweiler,” are packaged in shiny wrappers with a picture of “a cartoon dog wearing a thick gold chain.” The Jimmie Hatz website features music, AIDS information, and Jimmie Hatz products, such as t-shirts and thong underwear, in addition to condoms.
Terrell disagrees with those who say that these condoms encourage youth to have sex. “When you look at the numbers and the rate of infection continues to rise within the minority population, they’re having sex,” Terrell said. Michael McGee, vice president of education and social marketing for Planned Parenthood applauded the new products. He said, “taking a particular audience segment and identifying the messages that appeals to them and that resonates with them is a smart thing to do.” Smart if you are trying to make money selling condoms. Not smart if you really care about savings teens from the ill effects of a promiscuous lifestyle.
(Liza Porteus, “Company Targets Teens With Hip-Hop Condoms.” Fox News. 8 January 2004; www.jimmiehatz.com)
USAID Achievements
USAID Global Health recently published a Family Planning and Reproductive Health Timeline and list of achievements. Among the dubious “achievements” which USAID takes credit for are:
- “Since USAID’s family planning program began in 1965, the average number of children per family in the developing world (excluding China) has dropped from 6 to 4.”
- “USAID provides 35 to 40 percent of donor-provided contraceptives to the developing world and supplies nearly 30 family planning programs in 20 countries with technical and logistical support.”
- “Contraceptive use has increased in many parts of the world.”
- “To increase access to family planning and reproductive health services, USAID introduced such innovations as door-to-door distribution, mobile clinic services, and employee-based health care programs.”
- “USAID helps governments review policies, restrictive or unnecessary regulations, and product bans that are barriers to private sector involvement in offering family planning/reproductive health services.”
(USAID Family Planning and Reproductive Health Program: A History of Achievement,” http://www.usaid.gov/pop_health/pop/history.html)
