Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Shocking News: Manipulating Statistics Leads to Largely Irrelevant Claims


Child molestation and pedophilia occur far more commonly among homosexuals than among heterosexuals on a per capita basis, according to a new study.
"Overwhelming evidence supports the belief that homosexuality is a sexual deviancy often accompanied by disorders that have dire consequences for our culture," wrote Steve Baldwin in, "Child Molestation and the Homosexual Movement," soon to be published by the Regent University Law Review.
Baldwin is the executive director of the Council for National Policy in Washington, D.C.


Oh! Oh! Shocking! Homosexuals! Evil! Dire consequences for culture! Save the children! (swoons)


Well, except:


Jay Heavener, spokesman for PFLAG – Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, counters that federal crime data refute claims that homosexuals molest children at higher rates than heterosexuals.

(skip a few paragraphs)

In terms of sheer numbers, that may be true. But in terms of numbers of children abused per offender, homosexuals abuse with far greater frequency; and boys, research shows, are the much-preferred target.

Report: Pedophilia more common among 'gays', Research purports to reveal 'dark side' of homosexual culture


(blinks)

That’s not the same. Per capita per OFFENDER? Come on. Your opening sentence just said per capita. Misleading much?

I’m also confused as to what I’m supposed to do with this information. Perhaps what you are trying to say is that homosexuals as a group (NOT just homosexual offenders as a group) have a per capita rate of molesting children that is higher than the same heterosexual rate. Except you don’t say such, which leads me to believe that you don’t have the numbers to back up that claim.

I’m going to begin conducting random statistical studies of my own. For example, after doing a brief survey of those living in this apartment, I’ve found that the average American is an atheist vegetarian. The number of football games watched per individual is extremely high, but only if you consider only those who actually watch football (other members of the household just fall asleep beside the football watching individuals as they are watching games). Those with a higher rate of football watching are also far more likely to eat potato chips on the way home rather than waiting for dinner than those with a lower rate. There is obviously a clear link between potato chip consumption and football watching. Goodness, statistics is fun!

Pedophilia is the attraction to prepubescent children. Homosexuality is the attraction to people of the same gender. If we want to prevent child molestation, let’s work to prevent child molestation. Trying so hard to make tenuous links between your target age and target gender that you create misleading topic sentences and quote irrelevant statistics is a bit pitiful, eh?

Yes, yes, I realize that I should learn and just cease to read articles from worldnetdaily.com--- but what can I say? Clearly, not watching football leads to the masochistic tendency to read ridiculous news stories... and thus has dire consequences for our culture. I apologize for not doing my part.