From: ceb@dbrus.Unify.Com (Caroline E. Bryan)
Newsgroups: alt.politics.clinton
Subject: Re:  Gays in the military
Date: 19 Nov 92 20:23:24 GMT
Organization: /usr/lib/news/organization

In article <4jjc3vv@Unify.Com> tsv@Unify.com (Tim Vannaman) writes:
>I heard on Rush's show a  GOOD argument for not letting gays in the military.

Rush and "good argument" are a contradiction in terms.

> Ok, when you serve in the armed forces, you get free/VERY cheap healthcare
> for the rest of your life.  (and your spouse)
>
> Q. #1  What is one of the most expensive illnesses?   AIDS!
> Q. #2  What lifestyle is one (if not the highest) highest risk category for
> AIDS?  Gays

Wrong.  The lifestyle in one of the highest risk categories for AIDS is sex-
ual promiscuity.  This is true no matter what the genders are of the thous-
ands of people affecting the sex life of the promiscuous person.  Whether the
promiscuous person is straight, bisexual, or gay has a far smaller impact on
his/her chances of getting AIDS than the fact that s/he is promiscuous.

> I don't want to hear about non-gay people getting AIDS, either.

"My mind is made up; don't confuse me with the facts", eh?  Very impressive.

> I know that everyone could get AIDS in some way, but it is mainly deter-
> mined by your lifestyle and your spouses.

Exactly.  If your lifestyle means that you have many "spouses", you have a
high risk of getting AIDS.  If your lifestyle means that you have one or
no "spouses", you have a low risk of getting AIDS.  Which genders you and
your "spouses" are has very little to do with it.

> What are the odds of a heterosexual w/ 1 mate who doesn't sleep around
> (same w/ spouse) or use drugs as compared to a gay?  NOT EVEN CLOSE.

What are the odds of a heterosexual with 1 mate, neither of whom sleep around
or use drugs as compared to a gay person with 1 mate, neither of whom sleep
around or use drugs?  About the same.

What are the odds of a heterosexual who has unprotected sex every night and
has never slept with the same person twice, as compared to a gay person who
has unprotected sex every night and has never slept with the same person
twice?  Also about the same.

As a matter of fact, a heterosexual male who has unprotected sex with just
two partners, each of whom also have unprotected sex with just one other man
(apiece, and so on), has a higher risk of getting and passing AIDS than a
lesbian woman with 15 female lovers.  If keeping AIDS out of the Army is a
strong requirement for recruiters, obviously the Army should stop recruiting
men.

General distress because of the complexity of modern life is understandable.
It is not rational, however, nor ought it to be acceptable, to attempt to re-
lieve one's distress by blaming randomly any group of which one is not a part
for the complexity that one perceives.  Rush may feel better personally if he
blames thin people for the excess of stray pet animals in our communities,
but that neither places the responsibility where it belongs nor helps in any
way to solve the problem.  Likewise, blaming gay people for a problem that a-
rises out of sexual promiscuity of people of *all* persuasions and their re-
fusal to accept responsibility for their actions will neither place the res-
ponsibility for the spread of AIDS where it belongs nor help to slow the 
spread or cure the disease.


Carrie		ceb@rechenau.unify.com	x6244
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|		"Never" is about six months.   -- Charlie Gibbs		      |
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Newsgroups: alt.politics.clinton,alt.president.clinton,talk.politics.misc