Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), one of the most courageous pro-family legislators in Congress is under a barrage of attacks from homosexuals and pro-homosexual legislators. Santorum is being called upon to resign or apologize for comments he made about a Texas case involving sodomy.
Santorum’s comment was printed in an Associated Press story. In the article, Santorum discussed the legal case, Lawrence v. Texas, which is being considered by the U.S. Supreme Court this session. This case involves the issue of homosexual sodomy and whether or not the state has the right to criminalize sodomy or punish consensual sexual acts done in private. (The Associated Press writer, Laura Jakes Jordan is married to presidential candidate John Kerry’s campaign manager.)
Santorum told the AP reporter, “If the Supreme Court says that you have the right to consensual [gay] sex within your home, 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.”
His arguments are precisely those that have been argued in court against sodomy, yet the sodomy lobby in Congress and the media are using this statement as a way to punish Santorum. If they succeed in silencing Santorum, this will send a strong message to others who may oppose the normalization of homosexuality in our culture.
”The attack against Rick Santorum is an attack against all Americans who still believe that homosexuality is abnormal and should be discouraged,” said Traditional Values Coalition Chairman Rev. Louis. P. Sheldon. “Santorum’s comments are right on target—and the Supreme Court should never forbid a state government from criminalizing harmful sexual conduct.”
The fact is that the Supreme Court decided in Bowers vs. Hardwick in 1986 that states had the right to criminalize sodomy. As Santorum has noted: “To suggest that my comments, which are the law of the land and were the reason the Supreme Court decided the case in 1986 are somehow intolerant, I would just argue that it is not.”
Even liberal, pro-gay Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) has defended Santorum: “I have known Rick Santorum for the better part of two decades and I can say with certainty he is not a bigot.” Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-PA) has stated that Santorum has been a “consistent voice for inclusion and compassion in the Republican Party and in the Senate, and to suggest otherwise is just politics.”
The attack against Santorum has been headed by the leftist Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the Log Cabin Republicans. Both of these groups have accused Santorum of bigotry and intolerance against homosexuals.
Unfortunately, Republican National Committee chairman Mark Racicot recently met with HRC and this has caused concern among conservatives that Republican leaders are going to sell out on the issue of homosexuality.
Santorum issued a press release on April 22, to put his Associate Press comments into context. He writes: “When discussing the pending Supreme Court Case Lawrence v. Texas, my comments were specific to the right to privacy and the broader implications of a ruling on other state privacy laws.
“In the interview, I expressed the same concern as many constitutional scholars, and discussed arguments put forward by the State of Texas, as well as Supreme Court justices. If such a law restricting personal conduct is held unconstitutional, so could other existing state laws.
“Again, my discussion with the Associated Press was about the Supreme Court privacy case, the constitutional right to privacy in general, and in context of the impact on the family. I am a firm believer that all are equal under the Constitution. My comments should not be misconstrued in any way as a statement on individual lifestyles.”
The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights has called upon New York Congressman Jerold Nadler to apologize for remarks he made about the Catholic Church and bigotry relating to the Santorum controversy. Nadler was on Hannity & Colmes on April 23rd and accused the Catholic Church of being bigoted in its view of homosexuality. Read the Catholic League’s press release on this issue.
The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) has listed a number of pro-family groups that have filed friend of the court briefs on Lawrence v. Texas. To read more about the serious issues involved in this case, access ADF’s site: “More than a dozen briefs throw support to Texas in sodomy lawsuit.”
TVC signed on with the U.S. Justice Foundation in the filing of their brief on this case. For more on this brief, click here: United States Justice Foundation: Your Conservative Voice in the Courts.
Agape Press has more on this case: News from Agape Press.
ConservativePetitions.com is urging support for Santorum. To sign a petition on behalf of Senator Santorum, click here: ConservativePetitions.com.