Before Aug. 17, I submitted a letter to the editor documenting that homosexuality is primarily environmental in origin and unhealthy. Unfortunately, the editor omitted certain facts, which contributed to misguided letters by Alexander, Clark, and Flynn. Though these authors failed to disprove my conclusions, I nevertheless agree with some of their statements.

I congratulate Mr. Alexander for stating, "I am optimistic that rationality and science will ultimately triumph over ignorance..." I agree. This is why I write letters with scientific references as proof for my beliefs rather than anecdotes as Mr. Alexander has done. While I agree with him that disease prevention is a civic duty and abstinence is extremely important, I disagree condoms make sex outside marriage 100 percent safe. The next two Sundays, Sept. 17 and 24, at 11a.m. and 8p.m., CCTV 8 will broadcast, "Why Wait? A Strong Case for Abstinence." Dr. Diggs, Physicians Resource Council, will discuss the failure of condoms to protect against eight STDs. All those optimistic about rationality and science are invited to watch.Ms. Clark doesn't care about facts: "...those of us who do not share her (Mrs .Kay's) views are not particularly fact-driven...We believe what we believe." Ms. Clark stated 57 percent of new cases of AIDS result from male-to-male contact (3 percent of the U.S. population is gay), and that schools and churches are beginning to affirm homosexuality. Ms. Clark was not responsible for claiming my CDC statistics are inaccurate. My reference, www.cdc.gov/hiv/stats/addendum/tableA1.htm, was edited from my Aug. 17 letter.

It's easy for Ms. Flynn to endorse "live and let live," and remark how hate and intolerance filter down to our children. Last spring, a young Lexington boy was beaten behind Estabrook School during recess, because his Christian parents wanted him exempted from school-sponsored gay instruction. Recently, the president of the Unitarian Universalist Association revealed his denomination is training youth to lobby legislators against "...the religious right's toxic abstinence-only-until-marriage 'sex' education." Respect and tolerance? If UUs truly sought wisdom, they would endorse parents choosing either abstinence-only education (chastity) or comprehensive sex education (promiscuity) in schools, along with unbiased scientific studies comparing disease rates among students.

Sometimes people appear misguided because they are unhappy with the truth. Homosexuality still remains unhealthy and largely influenced by environment. Scientific inquiry is needed to combat foolish, life-endangering beliefs based upon wishful thinking.

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