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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 17, 1993                   TAG: 9302170333
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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WHEN LOGICAL THINKING LEADS TO ABSURDITY

WHEN I studied geometry in school, a method to prove or disprove an hypothesis was to try to "reduce the hypothesis to absurdity." This reduction was done by applying logical thinking to the facts presented to the point that the hypothesis was obviously correct or absurd.

Let's address the question of admitting homosexuals into the armed forces in a like manner. Admit men and women homosexuals into the armed forces and assign homosexual and heterosexual men together in the same living quarters to share the same facilities: i.e., bunk areas, shower rooms, and commode areas. Do the same with homosexual and heterosexual women.

Let's recognize that these situations are no different morally than combining homosexual and heterosexual men with homosexual and heterosexual women and having this combination share the same bunk area, shower rooms and commode areas. Have a truly unisex armed forces; equality for all.

I feel that placed into this context the question of integrating homosexuals into the armed forces has been reduced to absurdity. RAYMOND E. ROBERTSON ROANOKE

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