From: eyc@acpub.duke.edu (EMIL CHUCK)
Newsgroups: alt.politics.clinton,alt.rush-limbaugh,alt.fan.rush-limbaugh
Subject: We're all stupid!!! (was Gays in Military)
Date: 20 Nov 92 23:59:36 GMT
Followup-To: alt.politics.clinton
Organization: Duke University; Durham, N.C.

jdahl@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (Jared Dahl) writes:
#tsv@Unify.com (Tim Vannaman) writes:
#|> I heard on Rush's show a GOOD argument for not letting gays in the 
#|> military. 
#|> 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
#[ignorance deleted]
#
#OK!  Fine.  By that token, let's ban all people with a 
#history of cancer in the family from the military.  
#These people are in a very high risk category for 
#getting cancer which is just too expensive for the 
#military to pay for.  Next smokers.  Then people who 
#eat fatty foods!

The problem is cancer is not a communicable disease (unless you think
passing a cigarette around qualifies for communicating lung cancer). HIV
is spread by contact of body fluids, predominantly semen or blood. The
life of being in the military is not one where you sniff the flowers all
the time. People get hurt, get wounded, and die. In a battlefield
setting, you are going to be cut or shot at, and so will your friends.
Blood all over the place. If one person is HIV+, nevermind biological
warfare; something bad is going to happen.

Unfortunately, AIDS is still stigmatized as a "homosexual" disease. That
may have an adverse effect with regards to camaraderie. And that may
cause many unnecessary deaths or incidents in the military.

I don't know what the policy is on HIV+ people in the military. I would
appreciate an enlightenment on this subject.

=This is possibly the worst argument for keeping gays 
=out of the military I have ever heard.  I also noticed
=that you were stupid enough to lump lesbians in with 
=homosexual men.  Tsk, tsk, tsk.  Promiscuity causes AIDS,
=not being gay.  

No, a virus causes AIDS. One's behavior will determine how likely a
person gets exposed to HIV, whether it's sexual behavior, drugs, or in a
hospital/clinical setting.

=Anyone who has ever been in the military or has had friends
=in the military know that our fighting boys are VERY 
=promiscuous!  I don't know anyone who was in the military
=who doesn't have a few stories to tell!

Getting off the subject, "which is why we need women in combat. Those
women'll straighten those sexual perverts out!"

I don't doubt that these men are sexually active themselves, but I don't
think denegrating the entire military (or at least all the men) as being
philanderers or rapists is very constructive. I also hope they stop, for
the reasons I imply above regarding HIV.

=Obviously, you have never thought about this for yourself,
=which explains why you listen to Rush Limbaugh. 
=Rush is
=for people too lazy and bigotted to form an opinion of
=their own.  

Neither is denegrating the 13+M audience who listen to Rush, especially
to those who listen to him and disagree with him.
-- 
Emil Thomas Chuck	eyc@acpub.duke.edu	Biomedical Engineering 1993
	THANK GOD IT'S BASKETBALL SEASON!!!!!
I don't have to have a 4.0 GPA to succeed in life because I'm 
good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.
Newsgroups: alt.politics.clinton,alt.president.clinton,talk.politics.misc