Trust me, I know how to get my listeners worked up during my radio show. I know where the buttons are, and there are some days when I just love to push them.
Homosexuality is one of those buttons. A big one. In fact, other than religion, I really can’t think of any topic that lights listeners up—and I don’t mean in a good way—as reliably as homosexuality…especially when I suggest that scientific evidence points to a genetic basis for homosexuality.
For some reason, there are people who just cannot bear the thought that homosexuality isn’t a choice.
The listener e-mails come pouring in whenever I start in about homosexuality, and boy, these are a loving bunch of folks. (Their grammar is just as bad.) Read for yourself:
Subject: my e-mail
Name: John _______
Boortz are you a homosexual? Is this why the strong defense of this perversion? Why haven’t you read my e-mail which is clear homosexuals will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God, and they will inhereit the due penalty for their wicked behavior. Jesus may not have spoken directly of this subject, however God inspired the writers of the Bible to speak on it. Unless they repent they’re doomed. Boortz do some research. You sound foolish. Call 800–555–5555 and ask for John for a sound, Godly, doctrinal conversation.
I really do hope that John didn’t sit by the phone waiting for me to call for his sound, godly, doctrinal conversation.
Here’s something interesting: It’s the men—only the men—who get so infuriated when this topic comes up on the air.
I’m sure you’ve heard the old theory that the men who get so upset and start throwing hissy fits when the subject of homosexuality comes up are probably suppressing homosexual feelings themselves. That’s a bunch of hooey, right?
Wrong. Seems there’s actually something to it! In the mid-1990s researchers at the University of Georgia decided to put the theory to the test.1 The researchers used a questionnaire known as the Index of Homophobia2 to identify thirty-five homophobic men and twenty-nine nonhomophobic men. All subjects were white, and none had ever engaged in a homosexual act.
The men were hooked up to devices that could scientifically measure what we might say is the most important male sexual response. Let’s just say the gizmo measured swelling, and leave it at that.3
The text subjects were then shown three types of X-rated movies: one heterosexual, one lesbian, and one gay. All were pretty graphic.
You already know where this is going, don’t you?
When shown the heterosexual movie, both groups showed a sexual response. Let’s say they, er, liked what they saw.
Then came the lesbian movie. Again…both groups “registered” approval. Thus proving that all men are pigs. All men. No exceptions.
Then—ta-da!—showtime! Time for the homo-video!
Finally, the men were shown a movie clip depicting a homosexual encounter. And guess what? (I know you’re way ahead of me here.) For the first time they did not show essentially identical responses.
The homophobic men seemed to make the dials on the peter meter jump quite a bit more than did the nonhomophobic men. In fact, 54 percent of the homophobic men showed definite excitement, while another 26 percent showed moderate arousal. Add it up: That’s 80 percent of the homophobic men showing quite a little gay streak, if you will, when watching a homosexual video, while 66 percent of the nonhomophobic men showed nothing.
Say it ain’t so! you might be saying. Sorry, no can do—because it is so. The researchers drew the only possible conclusion: This study demonstrates that most homophobic men have repressed homosexual desires.
Don’t you just love it? Could there possibly be a better outcome of this study?
Is there a Nobel Prize for just deserts?
Subject: Best Friend
Name: Mike H_____
E-mail: m*****@msn.com
Is it true that Mark Foley and Barney Frank are your new best friends? I’m sure they are proud of you for pushing their sick lifestyle.
No wonder I get those INGTLTYA letters when I fail to exhibit the requisite degree of homophobia on the show. These men don’t particularly like being reminded of their suppressed urges. (Lord, I hope I’m not turning them on!)
The scientific evidence points to homosexuality being a matter of genetics. Homosexuality is not a choice. (Though I do want to take note of the LUGs—“Lesbians Until Graduation,” for those of you who aren’t quite as in tune with the popular culture as your humble author. There seems to be quite a fad of high school and college-age women claiming to be lesbians and dating other girls. This is good for a little shock value, of course, but the truth is, these kids aren’t gay. They’re just yanking your chain.)
Subject: Homosexuals
Name: Chuck H _____________
E-mail: __________@hotmail.com
There is not one shred of scientific evidence to support your claim that homosexuals are born as homosexuals. It is a complete choice. Just like adultery, murder, theft, cursing and all other sins. Man, in his own ignorance, chooses to do right or wrong. But in those choices, man has to give account for his actions. I have a sister and a nephew that are completely engulfed in the sin of sodomy. I love them both very much and I pray for them each day. Sorry, Neal. But you are wrong on this one.
Sorry, Chuckie, you’re the one who’s wrong. If you doubt it, crank up the computer and start Googling. You’ll find plenty of studies that show rather conclusively that homosexuality is not a chosen sexual orientation.
This “homosexuality is a choice” nonsense can be put to bed with one question: Just tell me: At what point in your life did you decide that you were going to be a heterosexual? Come on, surely you can remember such a big decision! Why, it must be one of the most important decisions you ever made! A decision that determined whether or not you would have children—whether or not you would be ostracized and hated by a significant segment of our population. Surely that must have made some kind of impression on your memory, no?
What was that decision-making process like, anyway? Was it when that little girl with the hazel eyes winked at you in the seventh grade? Did you go sit by yourself in the library and think: “Okay, Joe. This is it! Here I am, almost twelve years old, and girls are winking at me. I knew this day would come, sooner or later. Hmmmmmmmmmm…. Know what! I think I’ll be a heterosexual!”
How long did you agonize over it? For an hour? A day? A week?
However long it took, it seems like you made the bold decision to be straight.
Well, good for you.
Subject: Homosexuals
Name: Vicki
E-mail: --------@earthlink.net
Hi Neal. Just heard part of your show today. You were discussing the topic of homosexuality and how it is not a choice, etc. I have to say you give the appearance of being a homosexual yourself as you keep harping on this topic like you are trying to make heterosexuals accept it without question and to change their beliefs just because your are trying to convince us its OK. Only people who are into what they are trying to defend, defend topics with such vim and vigor as you are doing. All you have done is convince me you are a homosexual yourself.
And what of those who “chose to be gay”? Why would they do that? Can you name one man who would choose to be homosexual after having just one bowl of chili and some onion rings at a Hooters restaurant? Who would say, “Yeah, that’s very nice and all, but I really think I’d rather choose a lifestyle where I’m discriminated against on the job and in my church, and where I’m constantly derided and condemned by much of society. Instead of being a solid and respected member of my community, I think I’m just going to opt for a lifestyle where idiots assume that I’m a child molester”?
Come on—give me one reason you’d choose to be gay! You want to be a designer and live in Milan? Okay, touché. But just one more!
Fine, Neal, you say, but you’re missing the point. Homosexuality just isn’t normal.
Guess what? You’re absolutely right! It isn’t natural…for you. You are straight, remember? So any homosexual act would be abnormal for you.
Gay sex, on the other hand, is perfectly natural…for homosexuals!
Why does this have to be such a big issue? Why do so many men find it so difficult simply to allow others to live their lives in step with their own sexual orientation, while you do the same? (Oh, right, I almost forgot—that little Georgia study.)
Some people—former Pennsylvania Republican senator Rick Santorum comes to mind—actually adopted the policy that it’s just fine with them if you’re gay, just so long as you don’t have sex.
Say what?
It’s perfectly okay for you to be homosexual—as long as you keep it in your pants? As long as you don’t mind being denied all the pleasures of a loving sexual relationship?
You know, because the straight guys don’t think you’re doing it the right way.
Think about that. What if a homosexual thought the way you have sex—with someone of another gender—was wrong? What if they suggested that it would be okay for you to go on being heterosexual…just so long as you didn’t have sex?
Does that work for you?
If you’re part of the problem here—and the problem isn’t homosexuals, it’s the people who campaign against them—then there’s something you need to realize: As more and more people in this country come to understand the secret longings lurking beneath all that homophobia—the way those Georgia scientists discovered—you won’t be able to stay in the closet much longer.
One more thing. If you eliminate people from your life just because you have a problem with their sexual orientation, you’re going to miss out on knowing, and becoming friends with, some of the most funny, loyal, and dependable friends you could ever hope for.
That, too, is a matter of choice.
Subject: Are They For Real???
Name: Charlene L__________
E-mail: C_______@earthlink.net
Message:
Neal—Please tell me that the e-mails you are reading are just a joke…. I cannot believe that people are really that hate-filled!!!!
Yes, Charlene. They’re for real. And we love each and every one of them.