Marrying in the Family : Biology Disputes Taboos Surrounding 'Kissing Cousins'

ABCNews ^ | 3/5/04 | John Stossel

[Wumpus Hunter]

" In some Middle Eastern countries, almost half of all marriages are to cousins."

Well that's who WE wanna be just like! How many generations would it take until we have $hit for brains and live in a hellhole?

[mtbopfuyn]

Adding John to the growing list of stooopid journalists. The laws and society aren't concerned with cousins in general marrying each other, but FIRST cousins marrying each other. Leaving that particular word out of his editorial rendered it to nothing but a waste of time, energy, and loss of squirrel homes.

Allowing first cousins to marry is also opening the door for double first cousins to marry. I went to school with doubles and they were doing a bit more than kissing. Their result was a child with severe brain damage who has to have 24 hour care paid for by tax dollars. I once had clients who couldn't understand why each of their 6 kids had severed handicaps and two died. Their doctors were at a loss too, that is until I got their birth certificates. Seems they failed to bring up the fact they were half brother and sister! Disgusting what both couples did to innocent children.

[dennisw]

There's a big difference between marrying first cousins and marrying a fourth or fifth cousin (which Franklin and Eleanor were). My great-aunt married her fifth cousin (we never would have known except they were both descended from the same Revolutionary War soldier). They never had any children (I don't know why, ladies didn't discuss such things in front of the children in those days) but I doubt it had anything to do with their single shared ancestor five generations back.

Isn't is plain dumb how the article doesn't mention what kind of cousins? 1st? 2nd? 5th?

The point this article misses is that ONE first-cousin marriage in a bloodline is not particularly dangerous. It's when they start adding up in the family tree that inherited defects start to concentrate. What are sometimes called "double cousins" or even "quadruple cousins" are descended from multiple first-cousin marriages.

Like you I have more concern about the cumulative effect of such inbreeding done over generations. By inbreeding I would include first, second and maybe third cousins

[whd23]

No peeing in the gene pool!

Seriously, when the family tree looks more like a tap-root the kids really should get out more....

[CyberCowboy777]

For one thing I did not mean you specifically

For another I basically said the same thing. If the law is okay with it - fine, don't expect me to condone it though. If the law is against, do not force your ideas upon me - go through the process. Exactly opposite the situation in Portland, SF and NM.

You are so afraid that I want to force some moral code on you that you never really read what I write.

[nuconvert]

I read an article a few days ago, about the increase in birth defects in closed muslim societies. (Iran in particular). Specifically, it discussed cousins marrying. It revealed a story quite the opposite from this , "not a problem" scenario. Sure, one generation won't (generally)cause much of a problem in offspring. And if the couple are older, and not going to have children, no problem.
But if intermarrying is allowed to continue, the rise in genetic defects increases exponentially . There are sound genetic reasons people should NOT intermarry.
This story doesn't go beyond the first generation of children produced from cousins marrying. That's where the troubles begin, and it seems irresponsible not to warn people.

[nuconvert]

pong

[TN4Liberty]

It is if I have to pay for: the medical expenses of the resulting STD,

Accepting your larger point, I don't think sex between cousins is more apt to transmit STDs than sex between any other two people.