http://lamp.dailypennsylvanian.com/thespin/2007/09/27/leave-those-gay-rams-alone/ The opinion blog of The Daily Pennsylvanian Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:42:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 http://lamp.dailypennsylvanian.com/thespin/2007/09/27/leave-those-gay-rams-alone/#comment-77 Shannon Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:44:35 +0000 http://lamp.dailypennsylvanian.com/thespin/?p=76#comment-77 The little blue pill (I apparently can't post the brand name) became a cure for impotence because when it was tested as a treatment for hypertension, hardness was a common side effect. Research into a fatal disease actually led to a cure for impotence. The little blue pill (I apparently can’t post the brand name) became a cure for impotence because when it was tested as a treatment for hypertension, hardness was a common side effect. Research into a fatal disease actually led to a cure for impotence.

]]> http://lamp.dailypennsylvanian.com/thespin/2007/09/27/leave-those-gay-rams-alone/#comment-76 N Fri, 28 Sep 2007 17:00:11 +0000 http://lamp.dailypennsylvanian.com/thespin/?p=76#comment-76 Your argument in this article is ridiculous. A few researchers looking into a specific genetic trait in no way decrease the effort that is being made to cure more life-threatening ailments. Do you really thing that the best and the brightest in the scientific community will be drawn away from potential Nobel prize-winning research into a cure for cancer in order to en masse study goat sex? And NO scientific knowledge is "useless"--isolating a particular gene could lead to breakthroughs in other related realms. Humans do not seek knowledge merely if it is immediately applicable--it is a gradual building up of understanding. As for society, a provable genetic cause for homosexuality would be unlikely to cause the backlash that you foresee. Those who vehemently denounce gays as immoral from fundamental religious grounds are not going to change--they have proven themselves quite impervious to the onslaught of scientific fact in the world. As for the more reasonable objectors who sincerely believe that being gay is a matter of personal choice, an isolated genetic cause would have the potential to swing those who are open enough to consider facts. But either way, it doesn't really matter. The only time to oppose a particular direction of research is if its application would have no other use than toward the detriment of humanity. While it's nice that you're trying to branch out from the usual banalities of a "sex column," you should avoid vague, unsubstantiated claims about other topics as well. Your argument in this article is ridiculous. A few researchers looking into a specific genetic trait in no way decrease the effort that is being made to cure more life-threatening ailments. Do you really thing that the best and the brightest in the scientific community will be drawn away from potential Nobel prize-winning research into a cure for cancer in order to en masse study goat sex? And NO scientific knowledge is “useless”–isolating a particular gene could lead to breakthroughs in other related realms. Humans do not seek knowledge merely if it is immediately applicable–it is a gradual building up of understanding. As for society, a provable genetic cause for homosexuality would be unlikely to cause the backlash that you foresee. Those who vehemently denounce gays as immoral from fundamental religious grounds are not going to change–they have proven themselves quite impervious to the onslaught of scientific fact in the world. As for the more reasonable objectors who sincerely believe that being gay is a matter of personal choice, an isolated genetic cause would have the potential to swing those who are open enough to consider facts. But either way, it doesn’t really matter. The only time to oppose a particular direction of research is if its application would have no other use than toward the detriment of humanity. While it’s nice that you’re trying to branch out from the usual banalities of a “sex column,” you should avoid vague, unsubstantiated claims about other topics as well.

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