Romantic relationships with cousins, creepy?

[chaoticblue]

Well, I'm kinda new here and I just thought I'd bring the topic up, if it hasn't been already. Well, we all know that somewhere out there someone is having sex or dating a cousin. I thought it was really weird and wrong at first, but a close friend of mine just kind of opened up to be one night *he was drunk as hell and probably doesn't remember*, and told me that his parents were in fact cousins. He went on to talk about how depressed he was about this and how ashamed he was, afraid that other people would find out or some such thing.

Well here's my question really, what is wrong with cousins doing that kinda thing anyways? I mean, sure it seems kinda weird at first, but when I really thought about it I kind of realized that if two people really really love eachother then why not? I did have this doubt in me before that cousins who have kids together produce retarded or deformed offspring, but my friend is pretty above average if you ask me. Then there's the whole 'only hicks and poor degenerates do it' myth, and well his parents are doctors. I think his father's a surgeon and his mother's a pediatrist?

Which leads me to my next question! Do cousins who have sex with eachother and have a baby really have an extremely huge risk of getting a mentally retarded or physically deformed baby?

I don't really understand the big taboo that surrounds this issue and why people look down upon and sometimes actively harrass people who fell in love and started a relationship. If anyone wants to give their thoughts or any info on this it would be much appreciated.

Sorry if this seems really rushed or incoherrent, I'm studying for a history exam right now and I'm really hoping I won't fail.