Dear Kirk Cameron: Homosexuality is Not Unnatural!

By Dennis McClatchey

Kirk Cameron, star of the 1980's sit com "Growing Pains," made news recently with his comments on homosexuality on CNN's Piers Morgan Tonight. According to Mr. Cameron, homosexuality is "unnatural"..."detrimental"...and "destructive...to the foundations of civilization."

 

To be expected, those words created a chorus of outrage and support from many quarters. To those of us who found his notions outrageous he blames Piers Morgan. You see, poor Kirk came on the show simply to promote his documentary "Monumental" not to discuss his personal views on social issues. Although he holds steadfastly to those views and has gone on the Today show and Fox and Friends to repeat them while blaming Piers Morgan for giving his insights a platform.

 

First, why should we care what Kirk Cameron says? Second, he has a right to his opinion and a right to express that opinion when asked about it.

 

True. But, when someone says something that I feel is wrong, detrimental, and destructive that same right prevails. So, I choose to exercise my right to speak out in protest.

Homosexuality is not unnatural. Anything that occurs in nature is, by definition, natural. And, even Cameron has to accept the fact that homosexuality does occur in nature. Perhaps, though, to a greater degree than he realizes.

Naturalists have witnessed and documented same sex behavior in: Bisons, Brown Bears, Brown Rats, Caribous, domestic Cats, domestic Cattle, Chateaus, Chimpanzees, Dolphins, Marmosets, Dogs, Elephants, Foxes, Giraffes, Goats, domestic Horses, Lions, Orcas, Raccoons, barn Owls, Chickens, Gulls, Emus, King Penguins, Mallards, Ravens, Seagulls, and the list goes on and on and on.

 You see homosexuality is not just a phenomenon among us homo sapiens. (That's right. We are all homos, homo sapiens, that is)

 So, we can easily prove, through science, that being gay is not unnatural. Okay, it is the exception not the norm. But where does it say being exceptional is bad?

 Oh, I'm sure Kirk and his minions would prefer the word abnormal when describing gay behavior. Fair enough. But, being left handed would be considered abnormal with right handedness being the norm. Does that make south paws evil? Of course not.

 In order for homosexuality-or anything for that matter- to be evil or immoral it must first be a choice. It must be part of our free will. While science is still trying to sort out the question of whether homosexuality is nature or nurture, it seems clear that choosing to be gay is as logical as choosing to be straight.

 

Now, I don't know about Kirk, but for me being straight was not something that required a great deal of thought. When I became sexually driven-a time not by choice but by hormones-I did not have to set out a piece of paper, draw a vertical line down the middle and jot on one side the advantages of being gay and on the other side of the page the advantages of being straight.

 Let's see, I can be straight. I can date openly. I can marry and enjoy all the rights and privileges that society extends to married couples.

Or, I can be gay which may require keeping my love partner a secret, become estranged from my family, church, and friends. I would not be allowed to marry, open myself up to ridicule, being called a deviant, labeled as immoral by a 1980's sit com star, and possibly being bullied, beaten, and murdered.

 Oh boy, that gay life is for me! Please.

 
I am straight because I am and always have been attracted to the opposite sex. And, I trust it is the same kind of urges and desires that drives a gay person to his/her desired partner.
 

But, as long as we have the likes of Kirk Cameron judging and denouncing a gay person's orientation, there will be those who find comfort in calling out and hurting a person based on who that person loves.

As long as we allow the uneducated and the uncaring to classify gays as "unnatural, detrimental, and destructive to the foundations of civilization" we will continue to see young people confused, ashamed, and suicidal.

And, to me, that is about as evil as one can be.