Bringing You Up To Speed.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader will take a moment to respond to the M of P on the recent homosexuality post. Okay, two posts.

First, your Maximum Leader saw the article which sparked the discussion. He read this article of the Reuters news wire: Sweat scent study suggests gay men's brains differ. He was just being snarky to the Smallholder for not posting the link.

To bring the M of P (and any new readers we might have) up to speed on the ongoing discussion of homosexuality that the Smallholder and your Maximum Leader have going on. Allow him to summarize.

Smallholder: Discrimination against homosexuals is bad.
Maximum Leader: Okay.
Smallholder: Aren't you going to do anything about it?
Maximum Leader: No.
Smallholder: It's because you think homosexuality is wrong isn't it?
Maximum Leader: More or less. There are other more pressing issues before us. And it is a state matter.
Smallholder: If you could prove that homosexuality wasn't a choice but was a genetic disposition, it wouldn't be wrong would it? Then you'd have to change your position.
Maximum Leader: Well, you'd have to really prove it. Actually show a scientifically provable correlation.
Smallholder: Here is a study (Cites study.)
Maximum Leader: The study doesn't prove a connection but says one is suggested by the evidence.
Smallholder: Relativity is just a theory but you accept it don't you?
Maximum Leader: Sure, insomuch as I care. Physicists are still working on it. As for homosexuality, I am uncomfortable limiting the free will choices of men.
Smallholder: Here is another study. (Cites study.)
Maximum Leader: Like the other one it suggests relationships. Hey? If you could prove a direct connection between some socially harmful activity caused by someone's genes could we hold it against them? Since they really couldn't help themselves?
Smallholder: You just like to plug your ears and sing "la-la-la" when confronted by overwhelming scientific evidence that opposes your position...
Maximum Leader: Hey... Where is the provable evidence?
Smallholder: You see! There you go again! "la-la-la-la"

And so it goes. Around and around in circles.

Actually this recent go round was actually quite educational for your Maximum Leader. He learned a lot more about the XYY Syndome than he knew before. He is still trying to plough through a PDF he found. It is a little technical, but it seems to show that the correlation between XYY Syndrome and criminal behaviour isn't as strong as it was once represented to be.

Your Maximum Leader's position on homosexuality hasn't really changed much at all actually. He thinks it is wrong to discriminate against homosexuals. He doesn't really care if States allow domestic partnerships of some sort; but he doesn't want it to be called "marriage" - which he believes to be a religious institution. He also thinks that "the state" shouldn't intrude so much in people's private lives. (ie: the US or a State government shouldn't care who the beneficiary of a life insurance policy is if I, the purchaser of the policy, rightfully designates someone as the beneficiary.)

And to be perfectly frank, your Maximum Leader also believes that there are more pressing issues that directly impact all Americans (gay or not) that should be the immediate focus of government.

Carry on.