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@bq
In a notable number of Asian communities in Britain (and presumably the subcontinent too) there is a significantly higher incidence of birth defects and deformities due to the tradition of marrying people from the same small community, beit the here or the village back home. (The stated ratio was up to 50% of marriages in ex-rural Pakistani communities involved first cousins, and there is an apparently high number of niece/nephew marriages in Indian communities, which is an even closer relationship)
Genetic diversity is necessary. it's not just about one generation, but the cumulative effects of inbreeding over many generations. There doesn't seem to be a recognisable problem for the child of the first pair of cousins, but 2 or 3 generations down the line, and you get stats like 30% of all British-Pakistani children have recessive genetic conditions compared with a 3% national average (which probably includes gingers).