| Revision as of 18:28, 28 November 2003 editMartinHarper (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers24,927 edits rm "due to" in disclaimer - that's one POV← Previous edit | Revision as of 19:17, 3 December 2003 edit undoArvindn (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users4,332 edits I hope this is acceptable to both parties :)Next edit → | ||
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| Santorum did not back down from his remarks, stating that his comments were not intended to equate homosexuality with incest and adultery, but rather as a critique of a specific legal position: that the right to privacy prevents the government from regulating consensual acts among adults. Something close to this position was in fact later adopted by the US Supreme Court in '']''. | Santorum did not back down from his remarks, stating that his comments were not intended to equate homosexuality with incest and adultery, but rather as a critique of a specific legal position: that the right to privacy prevents the government from regulating consensual acts among adults. Something close to this position was in fact later adopted by the US Supreme Court in '']''. | ||
| Santorum's views have won him many opponents among more liberal Americans, including ], author of ]. | |||
| ==External link== | ==External link== | ||
Revision as of 19:17, 3 December 2003
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Richard John "Rick" Santorum (born May 10, 1958) is a Republican U.S. Senator representing Pennsylvania. Among other responsibilities, he is the chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, the number three job in the party's leadership.
Santorum, a conservative, is the author of the failed Santorum Amendment which attempted to relativize the teaching of biological evolution in U.S. public schools. The Senate passed a weaker non-binding version of the amendment, which two Ohio Congressmen have invoked to suggest that the state should include "intelligent design" or creationism in its science standards.
Detailed analysis of statement about sodomy law
In an interview with the Associated Press published April 20, 2003, Santorum made controversial comments regarding the then-upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case Lawrence v. Texas, which challenged a Texas sodomy law. "If the Supreme Court says that you have the right to consensual sex within your home," Santorum said, "then you have the right to bigamy, you have the right to polygamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery. You have the right to anything."
The following day, Democrats as well as gay rights groups demanded an apology. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) called on Santorum to step down as chairman of the Senate Republican Conference.
Santorum's comments evoked responses ranging from George W. Bush's remark, relayed through a spokesperson, that "the president believes that the senator is an inclusive man", to sharp criticism from Howard Dean that "gay-bashing is not a legitimate public policy discussion; it is immoral", to conservative groups such as the Family Research Council and Concerned Women for America who came to Santorum's defense.
Santorum did not back down from his remarks, stating that his comments were not intended to equate homosexuality with incest and adultery, but rather as a critique of a specific legal position: that the right to privacy prevents the government from regulating consensual acts among adults. Something close to this position was in fact later adopted by the US Supreme Court in Lawrence v. Texas.
Santorum's views have won him many opponents among more liberal Americans, including Dan Savage, author of Savage Love.