In this weekend's pair of GOP presidential debates, other than Mitt Romney, each of the contenders with a shot at the nomination made clear that they will NOT continue President Obama's advancement of the Gay Agenda. In contrast, Mitt Romney reinforced his desire to advance "gay rights" in every manner other than a redefinition of marriage.
For background, read Christian Liberty at Risk with a President Romney? and also read Santorum Explains Gay Agenda Effect on Children as well as Presidential Candidates: Abortion & Marriage Top Issues
-- From "GOP debate: Romney, Santorum grilled on gay rights" by Kim Geiger, Los Angeles Times 1/8/12
Mitt Romney was reminded Sunday morning on the NBC/Facebook debate stage of a pledge he made in 1984, that he would “be a voice in the Republican Party to foster anti-discimination efforts” in the gay community.
Asked how he had fulfilled that pledge, Romney said that as governor of Massachusets, he had a gay cabinet member and appointed judges regardless of their sexual orientation.
That didn't satisfy WHDH-TV Boston's Andy Hiller, a political reporter who had raised the question at the debate.
“When's the last time that you stood up and spoke out for increasing gay rights?” Hiller asked.
Romney was done with the topic. “Right now,” he said.
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From "GOP debate: No love for gay marriage" by Josh Lederman, The Hill 1/7/12
Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney want gay couples to enjoy certain benefits, but the right to call their relationship a marriage is not one of them.
“The sacrament of marriage was based on a man and a woman, has been for 3,000 years,” said the former House Speaker [Gingrich].
Jon Huntsman was the only candidate to endorse civil unions, saying states should be able to talk about how they want to treat same-sex couples.
Rick Santorum, who has made strengthening traditional marriage a major plank of his campaign platform, said that not only should the U.S. Constitution ban gay marriage for all states, but that gays who are already married would see their marriages annulled.
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From "Republican presidential candidates Romney, Santorum challenged on gay rights" by The Associated Press 1/8/12
. . . Rick Santorum says he believed in respect and dignity for all people but reiterated his opposition to gay marriage and adoptions by gay parents.
The former senator from Pennsylvania is an outspoken social conservative and has made opposition to abortion and gay marriage central to his campaign.
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From "Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney Pressed About Support For Gay Rights During 2012 New Hampshire GOP Debate" by Amanda Terkel, Huffington Post 1/8/12
When the moderator asked Santorum if he would be a voice for "speaking out for gay rights" in the Republican Party, the former Pennsylvania senator replied, "I would be a voice in speaking out for making sure that every person in America, gay or straight, is treated with respect and dignity and has the equality of opportunity. That does not mean that I would agree with certain things that the gay community would like to do with changing laws, with respect to marriage or respect to adoption or things like that. You can be respectful. ... But just because you don't agree with someone's desire to change the law doesn't mean you don't like them or you hate them or you want to discriminate against them."
He cited his town hall meetings in New Hampshire, where he has been repeatedly questioned about gay rights.
"I listen to the other side, I let them make their arguments and we do so in a very respectful way. And you know what? We may not agree," he said.
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From "Santorum’s Response to Question on Gay Rights" by Jeremy W. Peters, New York Times 1/8/12
Asked what would happen if his son told him he was gay, Mr. Santorum said, “I would love him as much as I did the second before he said it.”
In a 2003 interview with GQ, he was asked what he would tell a son who admitted to having an attraction to men. He essentially said his son should remain celibate.
“I would try to point out to them what is the right thing to do. And we have many temptations to do things we shouldn’t do,” he told the magazine. “It doesn’t mean you have to submit.”
Mr. Santorum added that all parents should help steer their children in a direction “that would lead them to a better and happier life.”
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