Gay population in the USA....1.7%...less than 2%

Ditto. It really grinds my gears when people try to characterize anti-discrimination law as if it were affirmative action.

While hate crime law is general in the same way anti-discrimination law is, I don't see it as having similar value. A crime is a crime, whether or not it's motivated by hate, and regardless of whether it targets an enumerated trait or something else. I'm not persuaded of its value as a deterrent.

On that point we agree.

This I regard as more stereotype than fact, and as I mentioned in my other post, as more gay couples venture into raising families, the less truth there is to that perception.

 

If punishment is meant to be reparative, then the motivations for the crime are certainly important. The "value" of the crime may be no different, but the risk of repeat offense after they are released and the type and effectiveness of reparative treatments before release may be quite different.

The "value" of the crime might also be said to be different based on the fact that a hate crime terrorizes a vulnerable population.

Whether or not any of that has anything to do with how a crime is prosecuted and punished depends on your philosophy of what the criminal justice system is for. If it's just about vengeance, an eye for an eye and paying your dues then hate-crime has no place. If hate-crime has little to do with repeat offense, when hate-crime has no place, I agree. I'm on the fence with hate crimes, where I can see value to them only if they serve a practical purpose, not just a feel-good thing for getting back at the person.

 

1.7% of a third of a billion people, that's a lot of people...

 

Well some people are bisexual, meaning they are attracted tlo both sexes. But I would not call them gay. Then there are the number of hetro porn stars who have gay sex for money.....They should not be counted either, since being gay is who you are attracted to and not who you have sex with.

 

That is correct.

 

it's that % of over 18 adults. The number is estimated around 4-5 million spread throughout a large geographic area. It's not as big of a market segment as you try to infer.

For a more targeted audience one might go after the Seattle or SF area but that would be targeting a very specific niche. If it were for a a consumer electronics product for example then it's a no starter. If for a small coffee shop or bistro then that niche is interesting

 

It IS a significant amount of people; especially when we consider those who love and are in family relationships with all homosexual people who likely exist.

I think that the world will see the numbers change, as we show more acceptance of homosexual people overall. There are a lot of people who are homosexual and unaccounted for. I am and know some of the hidden people myself; quite a few actually. I'm sure that will change in America and other nations over the next few generations.

And I think when we consider how many people aren't exclusively "heterosexual"... the numbers would go much higher than many would imagine.

But one thing is certain, there is no good or justifiable reason to discriminate against or persecute homosexual people, as some have. There may be fewer people who are homosexual, but that should never be some justification to treat them worse or differently than other human beings.

 

I don't think any rational human would argue with you and the same goes for

fat people
tall people
short people
less intelligent people
bald people
long haired people

and the list goes on and on

now as far as liberals are concerned, that's another story and people choose to be liberals and should continue to be exposed to common sense trying to cure them of their liberalism

 

I think the only mentally ill people who exist concerning in politics, are radicals, extremists and those who do not have the ability to compromise.

 

Yes, because there's no such thing as a gay teen, and 4-5 million, that's a lot of people.

And your point is?

 

I agree with him. It says in the Consuition all people, and everyone is entitled to the rights there. No matter what.

 

they aren't counting your group because you are under 18. I agree with that because minors should be given privacy. I hate how firms track the buying habits of the youth and target parents and tv shows but as a capitalist I understand.

 

I think they need to poll minors too; after all, the majority of people know before they reach (legal) adulthood whether or not they are homosexual.

 

I'm really against polling minors. I know it's done but we really need to treat kids as kids again

 

So it's even more of the population then.

 

as a total number yes but don't forget that the moment you want to ask kids if they are gay then you need to include the 310+ million people when calculating so your % may actually drop. For example, at what age did you know for sure that you were gay? I mean to the point that you would say it to a pollster?



Nope, I think targeting adults is the way to do it.

 

No, we don't. My number before, 1/3 billion, was the total US population. So it can only go up.

 

nah,you miss the point. You are assuming that the 1.7% of over 18 adults would hold for those below 18 as well. You cannot assume that.

First and foremost there would be a huge population which is not sexually active and they would be counted which would skew the % downward because they cannot be counted as gay. That is why I asked you straight up when did you announce that you yourself were gay? I bet it wasn't when you were 1,2,3,4,5 6,7,8,9,10,11 etc because sex wasn't even on your mind and you were just hanging out with friends.

So, use your own personal life as a place holder. I also don't like the part of even questioning non adults but that's a moral issue and I believe you kids should be protected

 

Well you don't have to question kids directly, but you can question adults who can identify the age they considered themselves gay/first had sex/first felt attractions, and use that data to estimate previlance in the population of children.

I also agree that there are "good" and "bad" reasons to do such estimates, whether or not such a question is relivant in a purely capitalistic society. Marketing consume products, targeting kids who them want to ask their parents to buy them something is one thing. Such marketing may exist for gay youth, but most likely the only reason for doing such studies on gay youth is for social services and mental health purposes. Youth is a critical time for the development of self esteeme and social skills, and it makes sense to understand and develops solutions for the challenges youth face. Children should have privacy and anonymity as individuals, but that doesnt mean there is no legitimate purpose for study aimed at helpin them, rather than just marketing to them.

 

LOLOL!!! As opposed to your scientific gaydar that determines which sexual orientation someone was born with, despite what they say. .

 

One thing is for sure, most people usually know if they are gay or not.

 

Jeee. And this tiny amount of mentally sick sexual perverts and making so much noise around the country... I am sick of it!
There are much more important things are going on in the world, like growing US debt, internal, external, etc.
And "Gay rights" are on the air every day. No matter what I listen or watch - TV, Radio, web...
Americans consumed with discussing problems of tiny population of sexual perverts. Jee. No doubt why economy is so bad and not improving.

 

Get over it. As long as homosexual people do not have equal rights... they will continue to fight for the same. So, unless you move away from the planet, you'll hear from gay people.

If YOUR human rights were 'truncated', it would be a TOP issue for you as well. And... you're foolish if you think that people can only tend to a single political issue.

Like I said, get over it. BTW, the economy is covered daily in the media as well. There are many important issues. I don't expect non-gays to make much noise about gay rights.

You are generally exaggerating. Many different topics are covered in media daily.

We also focus upon the expressions of haters and bigots; we keep an eye on people like that.

Go improve the economy of your choice; it appears that no nation has all the answers to the human problems which exist.

 

Rarely do gays argue for equal rights and instead usually insist upon special rights for homosexuals