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Al Barger and MoreThings - getting people's goats since 1998.
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January 05, 2004
Business math versus gay rights
Economics professor Walter Williams constantly seems to be thinking bad thoughts. He expresses the kind of thoughts that would make any decent, respectable person back away. The kind of thoughts based on economics and math, not sentiment.
For example, he argues from statistics in his current column that homosexuality would be a far better indicator (statistically) of high risk than smoking for life insurance companies in predicting their liability:
Another thing I wonder about are those life insurance company advertisements where they offer reduced rates for nonsmokers. Here are the facts. According to an article in Social Science & Medicine in 1991 titled, "Life expectancies of cigarette smokers and non-smokers in the United States," the life expectancy difference between never-smokers and current smokers is about seven years at ages 25-29, and three years at age 75 and older. Thus, it makes actuarial sense for life insurance companies to charge smokers higher premiums.
According to a study titled, "The Longevity of Homosexuals," in the Omega Journal of Death and Dying in 1994, the median age of death from AIDS is 37 and death from other causes 42. In another study, "Does Homosexual Activity Shorten Life?" in Psychological Reports in 1998, the average life expectancy of homosexuals is 20 to 30 years less than heterosexuals.
Here's my question: How come life insurance companies don't advertise lower life insurance premiums for heterosexuals? After all, life insurance companies do ask applicants about other forms of behavior that have an impact on life expectancy, such as: Are you a pilot? Do you abuse alcohol and drugs? And do you have DUI arrests? Why not also: Are you a homosexual? I think I know the answer. Life insurance companies would be charged with lifestyle discrimination. But isn't it also lifestyle discrimination to charge higher premiums to smokers, airplane pilots, drug and alcohol abusers, and drunk drivers? None of these lifestyles has the devastating impact on life expectancy that homosexuality does. The only answer I can come up with is that some forms of discrimination are politically acceptable, while others aren't.
So then, if homosexuality predicts something like three or four (or even greater) times more high risk statistically for early death than does smoking, why shouldn't that factor into setting policies? Why is it all right to refuse coverage to smokers, or charge twice as much, but the apparently far higher risk group cannot be noted or treated differently?
In this or similar situations, is it somehow not only morally acceptable but an active moral requirement to insist that everyone else subsidize, in this case, homosexuals? Does morality and fairness here mean that we are obligated to simply pretend not to notice inconvenient facts?
Alright then, my little pinko friends, here is your homework assignment: explain to me exactly why Dr. Williams is an evil homophobe for noticing these facts- or just what his offense is. I await your correction.
posted by Al at 1/05/2004 12:00:00 AM
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