It's not just the right that doesn't get science

Martina Navratilova, apparently a tennis star or some such thing, recently fired off a letter to the presidents of Oregon State University and Oregon Health and Science Universities because one of their professors dares to research gay sheep:

Tennis icon Martina Navratilova has condemned hormone-altering experiments on "gay sheep" at Oregon State University and Oregon Health and Science University.

The research seeks to manipulate the sheep's sexual preferences and make them heterosexual. The tests are funded by taxpayers through the year 2008.

In letters faxed to the presidents of both universities, Navratilova writes:

"How can it be that, in the year 2006, a major university would host such homophobic and cruel experiments? . . . I respectfully ask that you pull the plug on this appalling and misguided research.

"Surely you can find a way to redirect the millions of public tax dollars that are being wasted on these experiments to a more fruitful venture -- perhaps by funding a gay and lesbian community center to foster dialogue and acceptance for people of all sexual preferences?"

It's not clear, but the article intimates that she's getting her information from PETA, who two months ago started attacking Charles Roselli of Oregon Health and Science University, claiming that "these experimenters believe that homosexuality is a defect that needs to be fixed, and they’re cutting open and killing gay sheep to do it. These experiments also carry the insidious implication that homosexuality in humans needs to be 'cured.' "

Which is utter nonsense, and was when PETA first brought it up.

But, like I said, I didn't know Dr. Roselli -- so I asked him. I wrote, "Do you think homosexuality is something that can or should be 'cured'?" His reply: "No," he said. "And I find it appalling and offensive that PETA has suggested that I and my collaborators do."