Muslim outrage as professor warns first-cousin marriages increase risk of birth defects

The Daily Mail (UK) ^ | 5/30/11 | Tom Kelly

[ruralvoter]

Inbreeding among British Muslims is threatening the health of their children, a leading geneticist warned yesterday.

Professor Steve Jones, from University College London, said the common practice in Islamic communities for cousins to marry each other increased the risk of birth defects.

‘There may be some evidence that cousins marrying one another can be harmful,’ he told an audience at the Hay Festival.

‘We should be concerned about that as there can be a lot of hidden genetic damage. Children are much more likely to get two copies of a damaged gene.

‘Bradford is very inbred. There is a huge amount of cousins marrying each other there.’

[17th Miss Regt]

‘There may be some evidence that cousins marrying one another can be harmful,’ he told an audience at the Hay Festival.

Outrage for stating a truth known for 4,000 years... Only muslims could be so blind.

[Casie]

uhhh duuuuh!

The dark ages are over. Its 2011 now people. Lets try and keep up! That goes for you too, Mr. President!

[jmacusa]

Sadamm’s first wife was his first cousin. The product of that union was their oldest son Uday. We all know what a likable, well-rounded kid he was.

[Old Sarge]

What’s one gene between friends?

Besides, as long as the lil’ tykes can carry a strap-on bomb and remote detonate, it’s all good.

[barmag25]

I understand where muslim rage boy came from now.

[himno hero]

They come by it honestly, by the breeding.

[sand lake bar]

(From Wikipedia) In April 2002, the Journal of Genetic Counseling released a report which estimated the average risk of birth defects in a child born of first cousins at 1.7–2.8% over an average base risk for non-cousin couples of 3%, or about the same as that of any woman over age 40.[179] In terms of mortality, a 1994 study found a mean excess pre-reproductive mortality rate of 4.4%,[180] While another study published in 2009 suggests the rate may be closer to 3.5%.[2] Put differently, first-cousin marriage entails a similar increased risk of birth defects and mortality as a woman faces when she gives birth at age 41 rather than at 30.

[SERKIT]

Inbreeds? Who'da thunk?

[sand lake bar]

I must disagree.

[WellyP]

Don’t tell them, it could stop them reduce their gene pool!

[Cicero]

Contrary to what some comments say, inbreeding was not common among Christian Europeans or Jews. And it is not merely an “Asian” problem. It is also common practice in Arab countries.

[gandalftb]

Polygamy has actually been a survival practice for inbred islamic societies as inbreeding greatly increases male sterility and stillborn males.

When you take a small group of 60%+ inbreds and then isolate them in a foreign country, away from a larger selection of first cousins, the problem magnifies dramatically in 2-3 generations.

If islamic cultures can disperse over a wider area, such as in America they can progress but they also become more assimilated and westernized.

That is the contradiction presented to islamic cultures that leave islamic areas.

[Kickass Conservative]

Is that the Anthony Weiner Twitter Photo I've heard so much about?

[mosaicwolf]

Nature has interesting ways of taking care of problems.

[Kickass Conservative]

Wow, it’s gone before my post hit the thread. LOL

[abclily]

Muslims have outrage against genetics? Now isn’t that just too bad!!! How stupid can they get? Oh, well, their level of intelligence is also dictated by genetics. No wonder their reaction to truth is outrage. Some of us are tired of their outrage. I hear the Middle East is a good place to go these days if you want to express your outrage. Go home, muslims.

[popdonnelly]

Reality-based, science-based Muslims make good Democratic voters.