LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Talk |
by Bill Sievert |
The day the government banned heterosexuality
In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of the Federally Enforced Chaste Activity Law, making the United States the 23rd nation to bar its citizens from having a heterosexual orientation. The legislation, which takes effect July 1, requires all non-homosexual adult Americans to report either to their primary care physician or one of 1,200 designated clinics for a simple outpatient procedure to neutralize their physical attraction for the opposite sex. The ruling adds the U.S. stamp of approval to worldwide efforts to stem the dramatically burgeoning population of humans from depleting the planet's natural resources. FECAL, which passed both houses of Congress by voice votes last year, has long been urged by numerous environmental organizations as well as conservative Christian groups. China, Bangladesh and Iran were the first countries to enact bans on "any or all sexual conduct that could, whether willfully or inadvertently, result in the production of children." The British House of Commons recently passed its own version of the law exempting certain acts of non-reproductive sexual activity, despite arguments by human genome experts that it is not yet possible to separate the genetic code which triggers a desire for oral gratification from overall physical stimuli. Only the French National Assembly has rejected a ban on heterosexuality outright, and the president of Italy recently vetoed a comparable law passed by his nation's parliament. "Not on my-a watch!" he proclaimed. "Not in Roma, the birthplace of amore." According to the U.S. Immigration Office, more than 650,000 Americans already have applied to emigrate to Italy or France rather than face the laser that will render them sexually disoriented. Another 2.7-million U.S. citizens have swamped medical facilities with requests to alter their genes to allow them to enjoy homosexual activities. The new American law allows state health departments to make exemptions to the ban on heterosexuality, though permits are expected to be granted mostly to professional exotic dancers and politicians. The Department of Health, Education and Welfare is still trying to figure out what to do about avowed bisexuals whose genetics are more complicated. A limited number of birth rights will be allocated to qualifying individuals or couples, but conception must be accomplished by methods of In Vitro Fertilization. Think such a scenario could never happen? Well, don't bet too much on it. At the pace research is advancing into the human genome (all the genetic material in the chromosomes of an organism) as well as behavior-producing pinpoints in the human brain, very little is outside the realm of plausibility. And, as some scientists search for what is often referred to as the elusive "gay gene," we may worry about what happens if the day comes. Given the current state of enlightenment in many hetero-centric cultures, an unscrupulous desire to tamper with the orientation of gay people would meet significantly less opposition than if the targets were straight. However, anyone who cares about civil liberties should take notice: A genetic manipulation that works on gay Peter could also be applied to hetero Paul. So acknowledges a study by a panel of British and Swedish researchers issued last summer and published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior. One's genetic makeup plays as much a part in determining heterosexuality as it does homosexuality, according to the study's co-author Dr. Qazi Rahman. As with a gay orientation, "heterosexual behavior is influenced by a mixture of genetic and environmental factors." The research should provide some measure of comfort to gay folks who fear that advances in genetics may eventually lead to the elimination of our orientation. In fact, as Rahman told U.S. News & World Report, "this study puts cold water on any concerns that we are looking for a single 'gay gene' or a single environmental variable which could be used to 'select out' homosexuality. Men become gay or straight because of different developmental pathways, not just one pathway." The factors that influence everyone's sexual orientation are quite "complex," according to the study of 3,800 pairs of same-gender twins. Overall, genetics accounted for about 35 percent of the sexual orientation of each male subject and "individual-specific" environmental factors accounted for 64 percent. (Environmental factors specifically excluded societal or familial attitudes.) Among women, genetics accounted for about 18 percent of sexual orientation, environmental factors 64 percent, and family environment 16 percent. Addressing the same concerns as the British-Swedish study, the web site for the Human Genome Project at the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy poses these questions about the "nature versus nurture" debate: "If we find a 'gay gene,' will it mean greater or lesser tolerance? Will it lead to proposals that those affected by the 'disorder' should undergo treatment to be 'cured,' and that measures should be taken to prevent the birth of other individuals so afflicted?" The Genome Project answers its questions much like the British-Swedish study: "No single gene determines a particular behavior. Behaviors are complex traits involving multiple genes that are affected by a variety of other factors.... Genes are just a part of the story because a variety of genetic and environmental factors are involved in the development of any trait. Having a genetic variant doesn't necessarily mean that a particular trait will develop. The presence of certain genetic factors can enhance or repress other genetic factors. Genes are turned on and off, and other factors may be keeping a gene from being turned 'on.' So, we're still regarded as highly complicated individuals with our own distinct building blocks that make each of usas the Church Lady used to say"special." But, even the most assured researchers concede that knowledge about what makes us tick is still in its scientific infancy, and what is learned tomorrow could prove startling. Startled was just the reaction I had to the recent 60 Minutes report (January 4) about a team of neuroscientists at Carnegie-Mellon University who are peering into peoples' brains with a functional MRI machine to scan the physical composition of their thoughts. One of the doctors involved, Marcel Just, referred to the procedure as "thought identification" and predicted that within five years it will be used extensively, including by law-enforcement agencies. Dr. Just told reporter Leslie Stahl that his team already has uncovered the "signatures" in our brains for kindness, hypocrisy, and love. "It's breathtaking," said Stahl, "and kind of eerie." "Well, you know, I think the reason people have that reaction is because it reveals the essence of what it means to be a person," Just said. "All of those kinds of things that define us as human beings are brain patterns." "We don't wanna know that...it all boils down to, I don't know, molecules and things like that," Stahl said. "But, you know, we are biological creatures...and our brain is a biological thinking machine," he replied. As yesterday's science fiction becomes today's science, it is increasingly vital that we employ our personal thinking machines to assure that the rights of individual humans are protected.Bill Sievert can be reached at billsievert@comcast.net. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 19, No. 01 February 06, 2009 |