Homosexual lifestyle worse for health than smoking

[KenW]

Like elsewhere, Australia gets hit regularly by homophobic rants, mostly from the christian Right.

This one:

http://www.smh.com.a...0910-25ogi.html

was initiated by a guy named Jim Wallace (no not from Alabama) of the right wing Australian christian Lobby, and followed up by an (anglican) archbishop Peter Jensen.

Jensen backed Wallace's initial claims that a homosexual lifestyle was of greater detriment to men's health than smoking. (The newspapers failed to explore the possibility that the AcL is being funded by the tobacco lobby.)

The Prime Minister Julia Gillard was scheduled to speak to the AcL, but following Wallace's diatribe, to her credit she cancelled.

The so-called evidence mentioned has the substance of clouds, and stems far more from bigotry than from information. No data were included in either newpaper report.

[dixon cox]

Oh dear.

If enjoying only partners equipped with a cock makes me a homo then I'm up the double.

But at least I don't consume 40 ladyboys per day, although both are far cheaper in SE Asia

[4:17]

Wow, I thought this Christian flavor of religious conservative bigot whacko was only to be found back in my homeland of 'Merica, but I see you have them down under, too. Shame, that.

Also, of interesting note -- well perhaps to those of us who have knocked around the journalism field, at least -- but I find it interesting that the article writer refers to the Archbishop in ensuing references as "Dr." In the U.S. it's standard practice to only use the Dr. moniker for someone who is a medical doctor; someone with a doctorate (PhD) degree may be identified as holding said advanced degree, if it's relevant to the story, but they are not referred to as Dr. This is done as to avoid confusion for the average reader, most of whom don't have much experience in deep academia, and might be confused as to whether someone is a medical doctor or a doctor of, say philosophy, physics or what have you.

Not so for the Sydney Morning Herald. After the lead, the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney Peter Jensen becomes "Dr." Jensen. And lest I look like an idiot, I double checked; Jensen is indeed a doctor of theology, naturally, as opposed to a medical doctor/graduate of medical school. Notably, his masters -- not his doctoral -- thesis was entitled "Calvinism and the Persecution of the Witches in England (1563–1604)."

Guess he knows a thing or two about unjust witch hunts. ...

[xrayspecs]

Surely if you 'smoke' then you are homosexual anyway?

[SiamSam]

I use to smoke but I quit. What does that mean?

Then again I had some weak relapses. What does that mean?

I choke from time to time...

[williethepimp]

I smoke but i don't inhale.......ladyboys that is....cigarettes?-never touch 'em.......

[TEXASMAC]

Thank god I am not Homosexual and only enjoy Ladyboys.

[KenW]

Thank god I am not Homosexual and only enjoy Ladyboys.

That's a joke, right? Forgive my failure to understand Southern humour TM.

And the old cliche is the follow-up jape: I'm not homosexual, it's only the LBs I fuck who are.

[Kahuna]

That's a joke, right? Forgive my failure to understand Southern humour TM.

Careful or you're gonna lose your honorary Yank citizenship Ken...Texas ain't in the South it's in the West...It ain't a former slave state but a cowboy state...The Alamo....Stuff like that...

[KenW]

Careful or you're gonna lose your honorary Yank citizenship Ken...Texas ain't in the South it's in the West...It ain't a former slave state but a cowboy state...The Alamo....Stuff like that...

Oops! Never was no good at geography.

(Nor at grammar either.)

Funny though Kahuna, I recall a certain Dubya being referred to in the media as a Southerner.

And when the Kennedys wanted a running mate for Jack way back then they looked to LBJ - a Texan - to help draw "the Southern vote."

As a naive Aussie I thought the modern South had expanded beyond the slave states to include not only Texas, but places like Florida as well. That is, a geographic south. But then as I said about my geography, what would I know.

[Kahuna]

Sorry Ken...It was just kinda sorta a joke...My poor atttempt at humor...But you're likely right...Think I've overstayed my welcome again...

[KenW]

Think I've overstayed my welcome again...

Never, my friend, never.

[Lefty]

Careful or you're gonna lose your honorary Yank citizenship Ken...Texas ain't in the South it's in the West...It ain't a former slave state but a cowboy state...The Alamo....Stuff like that...

Not correct. Texas was a former slave state as of 1845. It was also one of the original 7 states to succeed from the Union and form the Confederate States of America.

Today, it would be considered in the West in only the most loosest sense. Such as any state west of the Mississippi is the West. More accurately it would be in the Mid-West, or a plains state.

To me, there are 11 western states in the Continental US. Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. If a state does not take in part of the Rocky Mts or is located west of the Rocky Mts, it is not a western state.