Santorum Blames Gays for Marriage Decline

 

In a now characteristic swipe at the LGBT community, presidential candidate and former senator Rick Santorum, reacting to a newly released report saying that marriage is at an all time low in the United States, tweeted to his near 46,000 followers that the decline is due to “changing” the definition of marriage — this, even though the study’s authors never once pointed to marriage equality as a cause.

The Pew Research Center study, released Wednesday, found that the current number of married adults (over 18) has fallen to 51%. That’s a 21% drop from 1960. New marriages were also down 5% from the period between 2009 and 2010.

Mr. Santorum posted to social networking site Twitter:

“Here is 1 effect of changing definition of marriage.”

Followed by a link to a Huffington Post article on the study.

Pew researchers actually investigated the public’s attitude toward marriage and found that there were a number of factors they believe may have contributed to the decline, among them economic troubles, simply wanting to marry later in life, or wanting to cohabit rather than marry because a growing number of people feel that marriage has become obsolete (though it should be pointed out that even though people felt marriage was obsolete a proportion of those people still wanted to wed).

You can read a summary and the full report here, but at no point does the study mention gay marriage as a cause for the decline in marriage numbers.

Mr. Santorum’s failure to think this through aside — allow more people to get married and there will be more marriages — when a presidential candidate has to resort to simply making things up it says a great deal about their candidacy, and indeed their character.

Related Reading:

Santorum: Gay Marriage Means Kids Would Be Taught Gay Sex

Santorum: Insurers Should Discriminate Against People With Pre-Existing Conditions

Booed Gay Soldier Speaks Out

Image screencapped from the Rick Santorum Twitter feed under public domain use.

96 comments

Jae E.
Ja E6 years ago

LOL to Annamir L's comment! More idiotic rhetoric from this ignoramus.

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Barbara U.
Barbara U6 years ago

What an idiot. How can anyone listen to this person? I'll bet he's a closet homosexual - same as Michelle Bachmann's husband. He needs to keep his religeos beliefs to himself - he is a good example for the separation of church and state.

Conservative countries put people in jail for being homosexuals or for performing homosexual acts. Plus they put you in jail for sex before marriage, adultery, sodomy, - remember the Taliban? Is that were we're heading - back to the Dark Ages? It's like these republican candidates are in a contest to see who can be the most "regressive." I think it's frightening that these people could even be considered.

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Mary Beth M.
MaryBeth M6 years ago

Wow! Astonishing how an article on one imbecile's no brainer remarks blaming the decline of marriage over 50 years on gays (huh???) can incite some into marriage and men bashing! From one hate filled pot into a venom filled kettle! Whew... sad, sad and sad...

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Maggie Neal
Margaret Neal6 years ago

When I was young the decline was blamed on divorce. More likely is that we kept killing off the eligible young men in wars and "police actions."

Diana S., let me guess: you're divorced! I've avoided that particular path: I try to learn from other people's mistakes! Lol

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pam w.
pam w6 years ago

I'd rather blame people like Newt Gingrich and Anthony Weiner. Good, heterosexuals all.

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Donna S.
Donna Smallwood6 years ago

Marriage is basically a religious institution that was aimed at keeping a man responsible to provide and protect the women and children of his family. We are beyond those times now; most women in America can definitely take care of themselves and their children; they often bear the full load while the man in the picture is just there for the ride, though not always. It only stands to reason that the RELIGIOUS RIGHT GOOD OLE BOYS would try to make a big deal out of that. Marriage today is anything but a winning proposition; the government should just declare equal rights for all; not just for those married or allowed to do so. Our social situations have changed; the government needs to change with the times. It also needs to have a full Washington overhaul and clean out. Let the politicians ALL be let go, downsized, and outsourced. Better yet, let them go run the CORPORATE GREED machine overseas. What we really need in Washington is intelligent people who understand what human beings need, not corporate prostitutes!

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Nancy Black
Nancy Black6 years ago

Santorum is not bright; he says such ridiculous things. I wonder and I hate to say this, did he fall out of bed when he was young and land on his head? The only good thing I can think to say about him is he is the ex-senator.

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Nicole B.
Nicole Bergeron6 years ago

Marriage has been in decline LOOOOOOOOOONG before Gays have been fighting to get married. Santorum blames everything on gays

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Rebecca W.
Rebecca W6 years ago

*dropping* numbers

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Rebecca W.
Rebecca W6 years ago

I agree with the writer, allowing more people to get married should mean there will be more marriages. I do find it curious that, in light of the new marriage definition the numbers have dropped.

I find it really ignorant of Santorium to try to pin the propping numbers on the new marriage definition - especially since the report sites 1. economic troubles, 2. simply wanting to marry later in life, and 3. (people) wanting to cohabit rather than marry.

I'm in a hetero relationship and have no (impending) plans to marry. I've been married before and quite frankly found the "certification" of my relationship totally overrated. I'm not saying I'd never do it again, I'm just not in any hurry. (And I'll admit, I'd only do the wedding - when I can afford to - as an excuse to throw a big party! lol)

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