Top Stories of 2003: Republicans Hush-Hush While Santorum Stews

by Jody Brown and Bill Fancher
December 23, 2003

(AgapePress) - Pro-family leaders are coming to the defense of Republican Senator Rick Santorum, who is under fire for equating homosexual activity with other forms of deviant sexual behavior. But within that defense are questions about the silence of other Republican leaders.

After equating homosexuality with incest, adultery, and bigamy, the Pennsylvania senator was attacked by several homosexual advocacy groups, among them the Human Rights Campaign and the Log Cabin Republicans. Labeling his comments "insensitive" and saying it is "repulsive" to put homosexuality on the same moral plane as incest, those groups are calling for Santorum to step down from his leadership position in the U.S. Senate.

And as if that weren't enough for Santorum, Associated Press reports he is now also under fire from polygamists -- those who believe it is acceptable to have multiple marriages. Owen Allred, the head of one of Utah's largest polygamist sects, says Santorum was wrong to lump polygamy in the same group with homosexuality and incest.

Allred says the practice of one man marrying several women is a moral and religious tradition dating back to Abraham. He tells The Salt Lake Tribune when Santorum compared the practice with homosexuality or incest, he defiled it as "immoral and dirty."

A 'Strategy of Intimidation'
Pro-family activist Gary Bauer says behind the attack on Santorum is a "concerted, well-funded, well-organized" campaign to throw out the traditional definition of marriage -- between one man and one woman -- and replace it with a new definition that would permit men to marry men.

Bauer says despite polls and state referendums showing Americans overwhelmingly defend traditional marriage, pro-homosexual groups pushing a radical agenda want to make it "illegitimate" to resist them -- and they want the public to equate resistance to that agenda with "bigotry."

"Millions of decent people of all faiths instinctively know that to redefine marriage in this radical way would have a deep, negative impact on our country," Bauer says in a written statement.

And referring to the continued silence of Republican leaders as they watch Santorum get pounded for his statements, Bauer says: "It has been sad this week to see the [GOP] leadership ... which has political power only because of massive support from traditional pro-family voters, appear ready to run for cover rather than defend traditional marriage."

Bauer says he is hopeful those at the head of the Republican Party "find their courage before the debate erupts in earnest later this summer."

Like Bauer, Genevieve Wood of the Family Research Council says homosexual support groups are trying to shut the mouths of those who think the lifestyle is immoral.

"This is a strategy of intimidation -- it's worked in the past, and it's currently working today in the political world," Wood says. "With the exception of Senator Santorum, you have not seen other Republican leaders come out and defend what he was talking about, which is the very definition of ... marriage [and] family, [and] what ... we as a country and a society [are] going to say is okay in this country as far as behaviors go.'"

Wood points out that defenders have not been rushing to Santorum's side. "We have not seen many within the Republican Party come out and stand up for Senator Santorum. I don't believe the Republican Party was wanting to have an open and honest discussion on this issue -- which they need to have.

Wood says the Republican Party is made up primarily of pro-family conservatives. This issue, she says, is going to divide the party "if they don't come out and take a stand." Right now, it appears very few Republicans are willing to do so.

Circle the Pro-Family Wagons
While Republican leaders are conspicuous by their absence alongside Senator Santorum, pro-family groups continue to rally to his defense. Among those are Focus on the Family, Family Research Council, Christian Coalition of America, and the Ohio-based National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families (NCPCF).

Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, devoted his Friday morning radio show to the topic, discussing it with Ken Connor, president of Family Research Council. Connor says prominent Republicans are doing what he calls the "Santorum Shuffle" in their efforts to avoid having to address the issues raised by the Pennsylvania lawmaker.

"The prancing politicians are dancing all around the controversy," Connor says, "[and] the White House continues to bob and weave, as though defending marriage were a controversial issue too hot to handle."

Connor believes GOP leaders are remaining quiet because "they want social conservatives to believe the party stands for marriage and family, while under the radar top leaders pander to homosexual activists, whose political agenda would dismantle marriage and radically redefine the family."

Roberta Combs, president of Christian Coalition, says it is a "sad day" when a pro-family, elected official such as Santorum is attacked. She calls it "a great example of mean-spirited politics."

"Senator Santorum is a man of honor whose integrity is unshakeable," Combs says. "Liberal organizations -- and the liberal media who have preconceived notions -- are picking on him to try and foster a jaundiced agenda."

And Rick Schatz, president of the NCPCF in Cincinnati, says Santorum hit the nail on the head.

"The senator correctly observed that if the right to privacy includes consensual sexual activity between homosexuals, then the question must be asked: What could possibly be excluded and on what grounds?" Schatz says.

Schatz continues: "Bigamy, polygamy, incest and adultery all have the same moral authority to seek inclusion and protection from the law under the right to privacy that would include homosexual activity. While some wish it to be otherwise, the truth of the matter is clear."

Schatz adds that Santorum's comments have brought "clarity" to a conflict the NCPCF feels is the issue of the day: the battle for truth waged in the arena of sexual ethics.