"Homosexuality is more dangerous than smoking"

This, according to Janet Folger, a radio talk show host and author of "The Criminalization of Christianity. The comment was made as part of a speech on a tour to show Christians the dangers they face in the world today at a stop in Longview, Texas.

Specifically, the comment was comparing smoking to AIDS and was meant to show the absurdity of talking about homosexuality in public schools. There is no smokers' agenda in the school system, so why should there be a homosexual agenda, if it is more dangerous, I suppose was the message. She also spoke about the persecution and risk that those bravely fighting the homosexual agenda face.  One man that she knew of was knocked down for having an anti-homosexual sign.

I guess Janet is unfamiliar with the experiences of non-heterosexual youth in these very same public schools.  For her information, I present the following (from the 2005 report by GLSEN)

• 75% of students heard remarks such as "faggot" or "dyke" frequently or often at school, and nearly nine out of ten reported hearing "that's so gay" or "you're so gay" frequently or often.
• Over a third of students experienced physical harassment at school on the basis of sexual orientation and more than a quarter on the basis of their gender expression. Nearly one-fifth of students had been physically assaulted because of their sexual orientation and over a tenth because of their gender expression.
• LGBT students were five times more likely to report having skipped school in the last month because of safety concerns.
• LGBT students were twice as likely as the general population of students to report they were not planning to pursue any post-secondary education.
• The presence of GLBT supportive staff contributed a greater sense of safety, fewer reports of missing days of school, and a higher incidence of planning to attend college.

• Students in schools with a Gay/Straight Alliance were less likely to feel unsafe, less likely to miss school, and more likely to feel like they belonged at their school than students in schools with no such clubs.

Other studies have shown that GLBT youth are 2-3 times more likely to attempt suicide, and that 30% of all completed suicides are by GLBT youth. That works out to one GLBT teen taking their life every five hours because of the additional social pressures associated with being gay. Additionally, 40% of homeless street kids identify as non-heterosexual; and 25% of GLBT youth admit to having a severe drug or alcohol problem, a rate higher than their heterosexual peers. Early exposure to issues of sexuality reduce homophobia including the internalized homophobia in GLBT youth that leads to the self-destructive behaviors above. (from Lambda's Youth Outreach Program)

I'd like to see Ms. Folger respond to those issues and let me know what she believes the more Christian action is.