Penn State Student Schools Santorum on Homosexuality

Jim Burroway

September 1st, 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzzDrOR30U8

Sen. Rick Santorum held a Q&A at Penn State on Tuesday, where he entered into this exchange with a Penn State student about the social science showing that kids in families headed by gay parents have just as good outcomes as children in families headed by heterosexual parents.

Santorum: The interview was yesterday, but it’s going to be shown tomorrow night on CNN. I had Piers Morgan call me a bigot. Because I believe what the Catholic Church teaches with respect to homosexuality, I’m a bigot. So, now I’m a bigot because I believe what the Bible teaches. Now, 2000 years of teaching and moral theology is now bigoted. And, of course, we don’t elect bigots to office, we don’t give them professional licenses, we don’t give them preferential tax treatment! If you’re a preacher and you preach bigoted things, you think you’re going to be allow to have a 501(c)3 as a church? Of course not.

This has profound consequence to the entire moral ecology of America. It will undermine the family. It will destroy faith in America. And does anybody go out there and make the argument as to why this is a good thing because it will happen. Make the argument why this is right. I don’t hear those arguments. I don’t hear them making….

Student: There is plenty of social science…

Santorum. What’s the social science?

Student: I’m not going to attempt to say that there is this one and this one and this one. But it is extremely unfair for you to say that there are no social science reports that suggest that children are okay in a same-sex relationship. There are plenty of statistical studies that they are just as happy and successful and everything else as long as they have two parents supporting them.

Santorum: I see. And so you…

Student: The American Psychological Association…

Santorum: But wait! But isn’t … I mean you’re a lawyer. [unintelligible]…

Student: The American Psychological Association has enumerated – in 1974, that gay marriage does not prohibit [unintelligible]…

Santorum: I understand that, but the American Psychological Association is made up of people who agree with the American Psychological Association, just like the AMA… A lot of psychologists don’t belong to the American Psychological Association. A lot of doctors don’t belong to the American Medical Association. All these associations prove is that they have a point of view and the people who join them agree with that point of view

Student: You just asked for evidence and you got evidence…

Santorum: That’s not evidence! An organization supporting a position is not evidence of a benefit to society.

Student: Are you a psychiatrist? Are you a medical doctor?

Santorum: My dad was. I’m not but that’s not the point, lawyer! Okay? Let’s be a lawyer here.

Student: Well wait, if we’re going to be a lawyer here…

Santorum: Time out! Time out. Time out. [Crosstalk] Time out, I’ve given you a chance … Time out! Time out! Time out. The American Psychological Association is not proof of anything. Okay? It’s proof that a group of people agree with you. That’s all it’s proof of. Okay?

That’s the way they use science these days, isn’t it. They’re only looking for proof among people who agree with you. Unfortunately, the only way to come up with that proof is the misrepresent the science that’s already out there.

Ravenbiker

September 1st, 2011

Sad, sad man. It is very difficult to watch a man with santorum’s educational background and experience get fileted by a student. Worse, it’s really hard to watch someone beat his scull against the wall. I’m sorry, this man is in hell holding a snowball.

Jay Jonson

September 1st, 2011

If you ever had any doubt that Santorum was stupid as well as meanspirited and vicious, this clip settles it once and for all.

James

September 1st, 2011

The teachings and moral theology of the Catholic church is not proof of anything either, frothy boy. And a case can certainly be made the Catholic church is made up of just people who agree with its point of view.

You are running for President of the United States, not communications director for the Catholic church.

Although, given your inability to engage in a constructive way with the public makes me wish you were.

David in Houston

September 1st, 2011

Gee, who am I going to believe? The American Psychological Association, an organization full of highly educated professionals… or some ignorant blowhard that equates marriage with napkins and paper towels. Tough call.

I’m actually shocked the students let him blather on as long as he did. I got tired of listening to his lies after about one minute.

If Santorum thinks that the government supports marriage solely because of procreation, then I want him to ban senior citizens, infertile couples and those that don’t ever want children, from being able to marry. Otherwise, he can shut his pie-hole.

T.J.

September 1st, 2011

Talk about “Adventure in Missing the Point.” The student was not arguing that children raised in same-sex homes are psychologically healthy BECAUSE the APA believed it. She was making the point that the APA held to its position on the basis of the scientific evidence and it is that evidence she was appealing to in order to make her argument. Santorum totally painted a straw man and made himself look like a complete idiot.

Lucrece

September 1st, 2011

I can’t agree with you. The student’s arguments came off as weak and petty as his did.

It’s not her fault, really. He is a lawyer, and she is a kid. It was way too easy for him to make her seem like she was out of her depth.

Pierce Morgan’s interview was disastrous as well. He let Santorum turn the tables on him and make him come off as intolerant.

Why did nobody keep pressing that when he says people are calling him names, that he’s calling THEM “Jihadists”. Talk about bigotry in Muslim panic language.

Shofixti

September 1st, 2011

I think Santorum just declared war on the APA and the AMA.

He is also wrong that the Catholic church’s teachings = the teachings of the Bible. Yes, they are significantly intertwined but much of Catholic thought and practice is based on philosophical and moral paradigms that aren’t so explicit in the Bible.

Stefan

September 1st, 2011

Wow I knew he’s a bigot but he’s also a total jerk!

Tony P

September 1st, 2011

Santorum is for lack of better words, an idiot.

His little tat with the student at U Penn isn’t going to play well.

And his ding against the APA, I really hope he doesn’t need any mental health care in the future. Hell, I wouldn’t want my doctor, dentist or shrink if they didn’t belong to their respective professional organizations.

Dave

September 1st, 2011

A total disregard for the APA .. wow!!. But then .. I believe Galileo had similar problems.

Jerry

September 1st, 2011

It is nice to know that Santorum can not be swayed by facts.

Charles

September 1st, 2011

Santorum has only around 1% of the Republican primary vote in any poll, thank goodness.

Frijondi

September 1st, 2011

“My dad was.” That is just priceless. I’d say point, set, and match to the student.

Richard Rush

September 1st, 2011

Santorum has been an irrelevant washed-up former US senator for almost five years. He was dumped in his bid for re-election in 2006 by a 59% to 41% margin against Bob Casey in Pennsylvania.

I think he clings to this Republican primary race because, for the first time since 2006, it allows him to somehow feel that he’s relevant again. He’s not. He’s just confirming his legacy as a stupid and willfully ignorant bigoted has-been.

Eugene

September 2nd, 2011

Ricky can’t handle being a washed up, catholic closet case…hmmmm
accept yourself, Ricky! and stop bashing your own kind.
The more he rails against us the more he reveals his true feelings. Just like all the rest of the self haters, who need to prove they hate gays the MOST, because it diverts attention from themselves. oldest game in the world, go have a footsie with Larry Craig;-) that’s a picture!

dave

September 2nd, 2011

His god isn’t proof of anything. Get him the hell out of here. Don’t elect a religious nut. He’s dangerous. More dangerous than what he says homosexuals are. Religion is really sick and they’re trying to take over like they did in the middle east. There’s no escaping it. All the republicans are that way. They’re trying to inflict their religion into society.

Bernie

September 2nd, 2011

He’s certainly no Logician, that’s for damn sure…..he’s a lawyer…for real?

darkmoonman

September 2nd, 2011

Yet another embarrassingly ignorant politician given free air-time.

Donny D.

September 2nd, 2011

Of course the Santorum is against the APA. He knows its findings and general position tend to support gay people. The Religious Right doesn’t like the APA for just that reason, and the Santorum is nothing if not Religious Right.

His claim that the APA is just an organization where people who agree on certain things sounds like an opening to speak approvingly of tiny, bogus “professional associations” like the American College of Pediatrics.

Rev Ray Neal

September 2nd, 2011

Unbelievably stupid! Santorum denies peer reviewed scientific studies and adheres to ancient philosophy and even more ancient theological thought that is disregarded by the best philosophers and theologians today. He’s stuck in ancient history. He needs to move into the 21st century. Luckily he won’t get anywhere with his bid for President. Now, can we also find a way to get rid of Perry!

Greg Hacke

September 2nd, 2011

It’s not just one scientific organization that Santortum does not agree with; ALL the below have issued various supportive statements regarding homosexuality.

1)American Psychiatric Association; 2)American Psychological Association; 3)National Association of School Psychologists; 4)American Medical Association; 5)American Counseling Association; 6)American Academy of Pediatrics; 7)National Association of Social Workers

Richard Rush

September 2nd, 2011

I’m not fond of Dan Savage’s definition of santorum,
but THIS IS HILARIOUS:

http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2011/08/31/assfroth-2012

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