New York City’s decision to distribute millions free condoms is “tragic and misguided” that degrades society and encourages promiscuity, said the city’s top Catholic leaders.In a Feb. 15 joint statement reacting to a new condom give-away that began throughout the city on Valentine’ Day, Cardinal Edward Egan of New York and Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn, N.Y., warned that the city’s health department plan will "degrade societal standards."
"The decision of the City of New York to distribute [an estimated 26] million free condoms to the public – and minors as well, according to news reports – is tragic and misguided," the two prelates said.
"Our political leaders fail to protect the moral tone of our community when they encourage inappropriate sexual activity by blanketing our neighborhoods with condoms," the statement said.
In decrying the $1.5 million condom plan that replaces a distribution program that costs the city about $720,000 annually, Cardinal Egan and Bishop DiMarzio said "the taxpayers' money that is being spent to distribute condoms and promote the attitude that 'anything goes' would be far better spent in fostering what is true and what is decent."
The city’s health department distributed a reported 18 million free condoms last year through its health clinics and community groups.
Yet, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg defended the condom initiative on a Feb. 16 radio show as a “real world” tactic to combat HIV/AIDS, saying that "this is not an issue of faith, this is a health issue for the city."
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