[69ConvertibleFirebird]

THE PREFERENCE SHAPING ARGUMENT

Why not encourage smoking the way liberals encourage other behavior choices such as homosexuality? Smoking only takes a few years off of one's life. Men who decide to have sex with other men take TENS of years off of their lives yet liberals encourage children to try it. Liberalism - what a hateful ideology.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Why not encourage smoking the way liberals encourage other behavior choices such as homosexuality? Smoking only takes a few years off of one's life. Men who decide to have sex with other men take TENS of years off of their lives yet liberals encourage children to try it. Liberalism - what a hateful ideology.

Great point. And it's been brought up time and time again. Sticking an HIV infected penis into another guys rectum isn't going to advance "public health". But you never see liberals calling for a ban on gay bathhouses.

Having said that, as a Libertublican (25% Libertarian, 75% Republican), I don't pass judgment on two guys who want to live together. If they're happy than Salud!, Mazaltov!, Congratulations!

You can be together but we won't call it "marriage". We'll just call you "Butt Buddies". You can have all the same rights, but instead of calling you "man and wife" we'll call you "Colon Comrades".

This way everyone is happy. The religious right can say that we have defended marriage.

[megatherium]

Actually, according to the CDC, smoking takes fourteen years off the life of the average smoker: MMWR — Annual Smoking–Attributable Mortality, Years of Potential Life Lost, and Productivity Losses — United States, 1997–2001

The risk from unprotected, promiscuous gay sex is very high. But the risk to men who have sex in the context of a committed caring relationship (yes, this does occur) is very low. Cigarettes when used as intended are deadly.