Safer Sex Made Fun! - "This is how we reach the young people" was the explanation for why a porn star went naked and frolicked with attendees at a St. Louis area seminar put on by a local AIDS awareness group, according to reports in the Post-Dispatch. Another in a long line of sensationalist stories about how your government money is being spent by the AIDS industry. Black Inches cover model Edgar Gaines (aka Sir Bobby Blake) spoke to an engorged -- ahem, engaged -- audience at an event put on by Blacks Assisting Blacks Against AIDS on July 10. It's not the first time the BABAA gang has run afoul of community standards.

I have to admit to being conflicted on this issue. On the one hand, I do appreciate the difficulty of getting safer sex messages out there -- and anyone on Madison Avenue will tell you that using sex itself to "sell" the message is clearly the most effective method. Spending tax dollars to fight an epidemic is a smart investment which pays off in lower social costs down the road. On the other hand, AIDS groups seem to think they should be allowed to do anything they want with "our" money, and I somewhat resent their "we know better" attitude. Even if I agree that their way is better. When you go on the public dole, you buy into a process of consensus -- it's just part of the deal, so get used to it. That may mean you don't get to pull the wildest stunt in your book, and if you can't play by those rules, we'll find someone who can.