Former GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum took to social media on Wednesday to announce his support for fast food chain Chick-fil-A in the wake of backlash prompted by its CEO's recent comments against gay marriage.
In a series of tweets, Santorum touted the "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day" initiative launched by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) earlier this week. He then raved about the restaurant's food:
Last week, Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy, a well-known Christian and supporter of anti-gay religious organizations, responded to a question about his views against same-sex marriage, saying that he was "guilty as charged."
"We are very much supportive of the family -- the biblical definition of the family unit," he said. "We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that ... we know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles."
While those remarks didn't sit well with some -- Jim Henson's Muppets severed their partnership with the chain, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino announced plans to block Chick-fil-A's expansion in to the city, and a number of other public figures have urged a boycott -- Santorum's support for Cathy and his anti-gay beliefs isn't surprising. Throughout his presidential campaign and political career, Santorum frequently spoke out on issues of gay rights, establishing himself as a staunch social conservative who opposed equal rights for gays in a number of areas.
Below, some of Santorum's most notable comments about sexuality and the LGBT community:
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On Contraception
"It's not okay. It's a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be."
<a href="http://thinkprogress.org/health/2011/10/19/348007/rick-santorum-pledges-to-defund-contraception-its-not-okay-its-a-license-to-do-things/" target="_hplink">Think Progress, 2011</a>
On The Definition Of Marriage
"Marriage is what marriage is. Marriage was around before government said what it was. It's like going out and saying, 'That tree is a car.' Well, the tree's not a car. A tree's a tree. Marriage is marriage."
"It's like handing up this and saying this glass of water is a glass of beer. Well you can call it a glass of beer, it's not a glass of beer, it's a glass of water. And water is what water is. Marriage is what marriage is."
"I can call this napkin a paper towel, but it is a napkin. Why? Because it is, what it is."
<a href="http://iowaindependent.com/60602/santorum-qa-marriage-for-gays-threatens-religious-freedom" target="_hplink">Iowa Independant, 2011</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fLbAFNbVSEE
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2011/08/09/292121/santorum-marriage-is-like-water-not-beer/" target="_hplink">Think Progress, 2011</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U394HKpak1s" target="_hplink">MSNBC, 2011</a>
On Sex In The Military
"I -- I would say, any type of sexual activity has absolutely no place in the military. And the fact that they're making a point to include it as a provision within the military that we are going to recognize a group of people and give them a special privilege to -- to -- and removing 'don't ask, don't tell' I think tries to inject social policy into the military. And the military's job is to do one thing, and that is to defend our country."
<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/09/22/fox-news-google-gop-2012-presidential-debate/" target="_hplink">Fox News, 2011</a>
On Gays In The Military
"The problem is that sexual activity with people who you are in close quarters with who happen to be of the same sex is different than being open about your sexuality ... They're in close quarters, they live with people, they obviously shower with people."
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/09/rick-santorum-gay-soldiers-shower-dadt_n_1002244.html" target="_hplink">HuffPost, 2011</a>
On Polygamy, Bigamy, Adultery ...
"If the Supreme Court says that you have the right to consensual 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."
<a href="http://articles.cnn.com/2003-04-22/politics/santorum.gays_1_statement-on-individual-lifestyles-senator-santorum-bigamy-and-adultery?_s=PM:ALLPOLITICS" target="_hplink">Associated Press, 2003</a>
On The Difference Between Being Black And Being Gay
"You are black by the color of your skin. You are not homosexual, necessarily -- obviously, by the color of your skin. [...] The idea that being black and being gay is the same is simply not true."
<a href="http://politics.foxnews.mobi/quickPage.html?page=23681&content=58208053&pageNum=-1" target="_hplink">Fox News, 2011</a>
On Candidates' Sex Lives
"When you look at someone to determine whether they'd be the right person for public office, look at who they lay down with at night and what they believe in."
<a href="http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/10/rick-santorum-when-selecting-candidate-look-at-who-they-lay-down-with-at-night.php" target="_hplink">Talking Points Memo, 2011</a>
On 'Man On Dog'
"In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever to my knowledge included homosexuality. That's not to pick on homosexuality. It's not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be. It is one thing."
<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-04-23-santorum-excerpt_x.htm" target="_hplink">Associated Press, 2003</a>
On Sodomy, etc..
"Whether it's polygamy, whether it's adultery, whether it's sodomy, all of those things, are antithetical to a healthy, stable, traditional family."
<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-04-23-santorum-excerpt_x.htm" target="_hplink">Associated Press, 2003</a>
On The Government Getting Up In Your Sex Life
"The idea is that the state doesn't have rights to limit individuals' wants and passions -- I disagree with that. I think we absolutely have rights because there are consequences to letting people live out whatever wants or passions they desire. And we're seeing it in our society."
<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-04-23-santorum-excerpt_x.htm" target="_hplink">Associated Press, 2003</a>
On Gay Marriage
"This is an issue just like 9/11 ... We didn't decide we wanted to fight the war on terrorism because we wanted to. It was brought to us. And if not now, when?"
"The battle we're engaged in right now on same-sex marriage, ultimately that is the very foundation of our country, the family, what the family structure is going to look like. I'll die on that hill fighting."
<a href="http://articles.mcall.com/2004-02-25/news/3521981_1_gay-marriage-defense-of-marriage-act-amendment-process" target="_hplink">The Morning Call, 2004</a>
<a href="http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2011/10/19/348059/rick-santorum-pledges-to-die-on-the-hill-fighting-against-same-sex-marriage/" target="_hplink">Think Progress, 2011 </a>
On Being A Hater
"You can say I'm a hater. But I would argue I'm a lover. I'm a lover of traditional families and of the right of children to have a mother and father. ... Isn't that the ultimate homeland security, standing up and defending marriage?"
<a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04197/346633-84.stm" target="_hplink">Pittsburg Post Gazette, 2011</a>
On The Gay Jihad
"So the gay community said, 'He's comparing gay sex to incest and polygamy, how dare he do this,' and they have gone out on a, I would argue, jihad against Rick Santorum since then."
<a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/178543-santorum-gay-community-on-jihad-against-me-for-stance-on-marriage?utm_campaign=briefingroom&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitterfeed" target="_hplink">The Hill, 2011</a>
Former GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum took to social media on Wednesday to announce his support for fast food chain Chick-fil-A in the wake of backlash prompted by its CEO's recent comments ...
Former GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum took to social media on Wednesday to announce his support for fast food chain Chick-fil-A in the wake of backlash prompted by its CEO's recent comments ...
Now about "Marriage:" For most of human history, up until the last century, marriage was a business arrangement in most cultures as a way of connecting wealth and/or influence of two families. That is why people were not allowed to marry outside their class. In fact, at that time Barack Obama was born in Hawaii, interracial marriages (black/white, heterosexual) were illegal in many states. .
And opponents to interracial marrige used the Bible to support their hateful bigotry too. In fact, those same bigots used the Bible to support slavery! So it's the same hatred, fear and ignorance, different target.
Now for those who support DOMA, . . . wouldn't common sense tell you that if you want to "protect the sanctity of marriage," you should pass laws to restrict divorce??? But I guess it is easier to distract from the fact that over 50% of heterosexual marriages end in divorce by targeting a minority.
And speaking of the sanctity of marriage, . . . Why are all the topless lounges in the Tampa Bay area remodeling & upgrading their facilities ahead of the RNC???
Steve_Desmond: Now about "Marriage:" For most of human history, up until
A note to rhussey73: They need to get their noses OUT of other people's lives and INTO their Bibles!
For those "Christians" who like to refer to the Bible to support their bigotry towards 10+% of the world's population, please study what you quote!
1) Jesus never said anything about homosexuality.
2) The only New Testament mention was from Paul, who also advised against anyone getting married or having children because he thought the "end times" were near.
3) The Old Testament references actually were talking about prostitution, not loving committed couples. If you look at the earlier Greek versions, the specific words used were for male and female prostitutes, - specifically targeting the common practice of temple prostitutes in various pagan faiths at that time. (Thank you to the Presbyterian report: "Blue Book 1978" for translation research, and the late Dr. Marcus Jowers, our family's Southern Baptist minister who taught me that there are Christians who are intelligent, understanding and try to follow Jesus's examples.)
Steve_Desmond: A note to rhussey73: They need to get their noses
With seven kids Santorum has an excellent shot at one of them being gay. Who, no doubt, will be forced into the closet and suffer from depression all because his or her daddy doesn't support them. It is a total shame.
rhussey73: With seven kids Santorum has an excellent shot at one
Go Rick Santorum! This is why you got so many votes on a dime sized campaign. There are millions of us out here. Many millions! There are very few homosexuals in the grand count and they make more noise than any minority group ever has. " The 2000 U.S. Census Bureau found that homosexual couples constitute less than 1% of American households." There are more than 247 million Christians in America!!
We all have the right to our religious beliefs. Period! The mayors who are saying that they will use their political power to persecute Dan Cathy are soooo liable to be sued. Religious persecution was the reason America was founded. How many have died to protect the right to the free practice of religion? My Grandfather signed the Declaration of Independence 7 generations ago and he paid a high price for it! "Government MAY MAKE NO LAW IMPEDEING THE FREE PRACTICE OF RELIGION!!!!" That is the law of this land. You don't like somweone's politics or religion, you may boycott, you make speak out but you may not use political power to persecute someone for their FREE PRACTICE OF RELIGION IN THE UNITED STATES! Iran, Saudia, so many places...England in the 1700"s was very big on this religious persecution. We will not be! The quiet majority is waking up. I am one of them!
May God bless America
mghdi1120: Go Rick Santorum! This is why you got so many
Statistics show that 10% of the population is a homosexual. When was the last time you practiced religion at a chicken shop? Maybe, if you got your nose out of your bible and read something from the current century, you might see things differently.
rhussey73: Statistics show that 10% of the population is a homosexual.
Santorum is always talking about making sacrifices.......he has never sacrifice anything. He and his family have been on the public dole his whole life. His parents were government workers, and he has held public office most of his life. He talks about being for a strong defense, but his nineteen year old son has never set foot on a military reservation. If his son was manning an outpost in Afghanistan, Santorum could speak with some credibility.
Allablaze: Santorum is always talking about making sacrifices.......he has never sacrifice
I thought you chicken hawks were opposed to the war. My mistake.....that only happens when a Republican is president OR when there was a military draft (because we all know you're too chicken chit to partake.) It's easy to be a f. loudmouth when you have no chance of going to war. By the way, I am a veteran.
TVMVT: I thought you chicken hawks were opposed to the war.
So they are promoting junk food I take it, two has been wannabes who no one listens to trying to get in the news about anything, Ricky they probably have a job waiting over at faux for you.
amwa: So they are promoting junk food I take it, two
According to this argument shouldn't we be trying to boycott Christian based hospitals, shelters and food banks as well?
I hate that this country, like our government, has been taken over by the far right AND left. Coming from the center this argument is getting old.
LEFT - you have EVERY right to want to marry and I fully support and hope you get what you want.
RIGHT - you have EVERY right to define marriage as between man and woman. I fully support you going to the voting booth and reenforcing your beliefs.
The problem is government as usual. Why the heck are they in charge of marriage in the first place? Why are benefits attached to it in this day and age. No person should rely on someone else for retirement etc. We should be working to empower individuals. The concept of marriage from the government point of view needs to disappear or change drastically. Otherwise you can't expect people to turn against their own beliefs at the voting booth.
peakoro: According to this argument shouldn't we be trying to boycott
As leaders our politicians should be able to speak up for what they believe. What we must do is not stay silent when we disagree with their opinions. Not speaking against what Huckabee and Santorum said is like not speaking up against racial and religious freedom. These two want to limit civil rights and they should called out on their bigotry hidden under the guise of religion. A religion and book that has been modified and interpreted differently over the centuries.
Mark_C_Farrell: As leaders our politicians should be able to speak up
Didn't we know that this pathetic numnutz would join the bandwagon? Anything to get attention, now that the media has noticed him. He might as well stop trying, for he's too far right even for America.
Michael_Willhoite: Didn't we know that this pathetic numnutz would join the
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The Huffington Post | By Nick Wing Posted: 07/25/2012 2:55 pm Updated: 07/25/2012 5:55 pm