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GOP presidential hopeful apologizes for attributing homosexuality to prison rape

Caperton

[Content note for rape]

Ben Carson, Republican presidential hopeful and an actual brain surgeon, has apologized for an assertion in a CNN interview that homosexuality is obviously a choice because of prison rape.

During the interview Wednesday morning, when Carson was asked by Chris Cuomo whether being gay is a choice, he replied: “Absolutely.”

“Because a lot of people who go into prison go into prison straight — and when they come out, they’re gay. So, did something happen while they were in there? Ask yourself that question,” Carson said.

Yes, Dr. Carson. In hundreds of thousands of cases, something did happen while they were in there. But “and that’s when I decided to be gay” is not the thing that happened.

Carson, once portrayed by Cuba Gooding, Jr., in a TV movie about his medical career, has since said that his “choice of language does not reflect fully [his] heart on gay issues,” and that he doesn’t pretend to know how people come to their sexual orientation. He also asserted that no definitive studies have determined whether people are born into a specific sexual orientation (although he didn’t mention the extensive research indicating that “decided to be gay in prison” isn’t it). He told Sean Hannity in a radio interview that he won’t be talking about gay rights anymore (because “every time [he’s] gaining momentum, the liberal press says, let’s talk about gay rights — and [he’s] just not going to fall for that anymore”).

This is probably for the best, since an attempt to talk about homosexuality in 2013 resulted in him linking homosexuality to bestiality and NAMBLA, and his book, America the Beautiful, posits that, since marriage is a sacred institution, it “should not be degraded by allowing every other type of relationship to be made equivalent to it.”

Immediately prior to his completely scientifically valid statement on the origins of sexual orientation, Carson was placing fifth in a national poll for the Republic presidential nomination, behind Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, Chris Christie, and Mike Huckabee.

30 thoughts on GOP presidential hopeful apologizes for attributing homosexuality to prison rape

  1. Being anti gay is a staple of the GOP and gets the base of the party fired up. It’s not a winning strategy for the general election, but I think it’s clear the GOP is not able to nominate a moderate candidate. And it is also abundantly clear the GOP is mostly a regional party with no chance of ever winning a national election again.

    1. You assert, “it’s clear the GOP is not able to nominate a moderate candidate.” Tell me, if you can, just WHO is the Democrat “moderate candidate?”

      1. Every Democrat candidate for the last few decades has been a centrist moderate, no matter how much GOP propaganda tries to paint the whole party as far left radicals. Take a look at where Democrats sit on a political compass of politics around the world sometime.

  2. “Because a lot of people who go into prison go into prison straight — and when they come out, they’re gay. So, did something happen while they were in there? Ask yourself that question,”

    Everyone knows prison is all about the free exercise of your choice-making faculties.

    Dark humor aside, the volitional and non-volitional aspects of gay identity and performance are complicated and cannot be totalized while maintaining descriptive accuracy. Is being gay a choice? I dunno. Is buying food a choice?

    1. Also, I have to return to “who cares if it’s a choice?” Practicing a religion or not is a choice, but it’s not OK to discriminate against those who do (or don’t).

      1. I agree. I happen to believe that being trans is (at least for me) a “born this way” thing, but it shouldn’t matter why you’re trans (or why you’re gay) when it comes to civil rights. People thinking you “can’t help” being trans or gay is often a good way to gain personal support and defuse hostility, but can’t be the basis for deciding whether you’re entitled to be free from discrimination. Any more than being “born Jewish” (in the sense that you’re ethnically Jewish and your parents are Jewish) should entitle you to any greater freedom of religion than someone who is a convert to Judaism.

        After all, suppose they came up with a medical test that would show that someone was “born trans.” Should every trans person who “flunks” that test be deprived of their rights and forced to detransition? I don’t think so.

      2. “Practicing” religion is a choice, but being religious is not a choice. True faith in in a diety is not a choice. For those who believe in a God, asking them to not believe in a God is like asking them to not believe in puppies. If they have been touched by one before, they can’t ever believe that they were not touched by one (this same logic holds true for people who believe in aliens).

        Not this matters at all. My response to Ben Carson is to ask, when did he choose to be heterosexual? And let’s say it is a choice, why would any rational human being care what goes on in his neighbor’s bedroom? And why should a “small government” guy think it is any of government’s business?

        1. That’s irrelevant. The statement was not about what you believe in your heart of hearts. It was about how you behave. You could believe in one or many gods and keep it to yourself and refrain from practicing, just as many gay people have suffered in the closet. You can have no doubt that there are no gods whatsoever and yet attend religious services and evince all the outward signs of faith. That is all up to you. And yet it should have no bearing whatsoever on whether or not you suffer discrimination.

        2. For those who believe in a God, asking them to not believe in a God is like asking them to not believe in puppies. If they have been touched by one before, they can’t ever believe that they were not touched by one (this same logic holds true for people who believe in aliens).

          This is very obviously false. Plenty of people who once believed in a God and were “touched” by a God have lost faith (for any number of reasons) and have stopped believing in any God, rather than simply converting to another religion. It happens all the time.

      3. I am firmly in the ‘who cares if it’s a choice?’ camp. In fact, I really think that people’s choices should be respected a lot more than they currently are.

      4. I’m happy to talk about whether or not being gay is a choice with any interested parties. We’ll just have to a have a long discussion first about what “being gay” means. Might take a while haha

  3. Dr. Carson apologized for his comments; his words stand for themselves. But why was the question asked? Does one expect any president or candidate to be expert on the psychology of sex? Many journalists try hard to invoke passion—anger, fear, envy, hate, greed—by ambushing the interviewee with unanswerable questions on emotional, divisive, personal issues, taking statements out of context, misrepresenting them, and blowing them all out of proportion. Why? It is easier than thinking; anger precludes reason. It satisfies their egos and advances their shallow political agendas. And it worked. Many of you are very angry. But you can’t get to know Dr. Carson (or anyone) by listening to what someone else says about a single comment, especially when that someone has an agenda. Listen to him. Despite a few honest slips to interviewers trying hard to provoke such slips, you will see a brilliant mind, a true leader, and a humble, compassionate man.

    1. Oh hell to the no bro.

      We need a giraffe here.

      [Thank you for sending a giraffe alert ~ mods]

      1. The giraffe won’t be making an appearance purely on the grounds of a dissenting view, but sie’s certainly paying more than usual attention in this direction.

    2. Despite a few honest slips to interviewers trying hard to provoke such slips, you will see a brilliant mind, a true leader, and a humble, compassionate man. -Dwight

      My thoughts are that marriage is between a man and a woman… and no group — be they gays, be they NAMBLA, be they people who believe in bestiality — it doesn’t matter what they are — they don’t get to change the definition. -Ben Carson

      That is all.

      1. My thoughts are that marriage is between a man and a woman… and no group — be they gays, be they NAMBLA, be they people who believe in bestiality — it doesn’t matter what they are — they don’t get to change the definition. -Ben Carson

        Well, then as a man married to a woman, I get to change the definition, I guess. There you go.

    3. But why was the question asked?

      Because institutionalized and legal discrimination against gay people, partially in the form of marriage discrimination, has caused numerous people to suffer, and is indeed a political issue.

    4. anger precludes reason

      I think they can coexist peacefully.

      Many of you are very angry.

      Nobody here is very angry.

      But you can’t get to know Dr. Carson (or anyone) by listening to what someone else says about a single comment

      This is definitively incorrect. Being told some words someone said is explicitly an attempt to “get to know” them. Here are a few things that would actually be ineffective for getting to know Dr. Carson:

      Eating a bagel.
      Learning to use Excel.
      Washing your roommate’s dishes.
      Yoga

      especially when that someone has an agenda.

      Oh no! Not an agenda. How will I ever get to know Dr. Carson with all these agendae flying about.

      Despite a few honest slips to interviewers trying hard to provoke such slips, you will see a brilliant mind, a true leader, and a humble, compassionate man.

      Typo.

    5. “ObamaCare is the worst thing that has happened in this nation since slavery. In a way, it is slavery, because it is making all of us subservient to the government.”
      ~Ben Carson, comparing healthcare to slavery during the Values Voter Summit, October 2013.

      Such brilliance! I’m in awe!

      1. And here’s a summary of some more of his brilliant, humble, and compassionate thoughts (with links):

        http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/11/15/top-10-quotes-that-prove-neurosurgeon-ben-carson-doesnt-have-the-brain-to-be-president/

        As the GOP embraces the reactionary politics and anti-government zealotry of the Tea Party, it is steadily purging “moderates” and empowering extremists. Nothing shows this trend more clearly than the lineup of potential Republican presidential candidates. In this new series, we’ll be looking at the records and promises of the Republican Party’s leading presidential prospects. Next up is Ben Carson:

        Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon Ben Carson became an overnight conservative celebrity in 2013, when he delivered a National Prayer Breakfast speech criticizing President Obama — who was sitting beside him while he spoke from the podium — for his handling of the deficit, the national debt, taxes and health care.

        He has opened an exploratory committee and PAC, while a “Draft Ben Carson for President Committee” has beencampaigning on his behalf and raising lots of money. Its leaders insist that Carson can defeat Democrats by capturing a significant share of the black vote.

        As a black conservative, Carson quickly emerged as a favorite speaker among Tea Party activists who relish his assurance that criticism of President Obama is never motivated by racism, while criticism of Ben Carson most certainly is.

        Carson has expanded on his views in speeches to conservative gatherings and a timely book tour, revealing himself to be a politician adept at dishing out conservative talking points and playing into right-wing fears about government persecution.

        For example, Carson has called the Affordable Care Act “the worst thing that has happened in this nation since slavery,” declaring it to be “slavery in a way,” and has said that the law is worse than the September 11, 2001 attacks, claiming that its passage was part of a larger Leninist push to impose communism on America.

        Far-right activists eat up Carson’s claims that the U.S. military should not follow rules about war crimes and that supposedly anti-American AP U.S. History courses will inspire students to join ISIS.

        Carson has inserted himself directly into popular Tea Party martyrdom narratives, claiming that he is the victim of liberal media bias and IRS targeting. Carson, a former Fox News contributor, also alleges that the Obama administration is trying to “shut down” the conservative network. Without Fox News, Carson said, Obama would have successfully introduced communism and “we would already be Cuba.”

        Carson has even claimed that he is losing his First Amendment right to free speech and that Hitlerian progressives are turning America into a society “very much like Nazi Germany.” “We live in a Gestapo age,” he has said, also arguing that Obama takes his cues from Mein Kampf and is effectively committing treason.

        He is a favorite of the anti-gay right, and with good reason. Carson has linked gay rights advocates to supporters of pedophilia and bestiality, attacked LGBT-affirming churches as offensive to God, demanded that Congress oust judges who back gay rights, and accused gay people of seeking “extra rights” and creating a powerful “P.C. police who have tried in many cases to shut me up.”

        Speaking at a National Organization for Marriage fundraiser, he insisted that gay marriage is a communist plot designed to bring down America and usher in a “New World Order.” However, Carson said he would no longer discuss gay rights issues after he received criticism for telling a CNN host that prison sex proves homosexuality is “absolutely” a choice.

        Add Carson’s anti-gay rhetoric to his remarks that legal abortion is the same as “human sacrifice,” that the progressive income tax violates biblical principles and that America is facing a “war on God,” and you have a strong potential “standard-bearer” for the Religious Right.

    6. Here is a simple rule.

      If you are running for a political party’s nomination for President, and your political party has a plank in its platform that expressly says that gays do not deserve an equal opportunity for marriage, expect questions about that platform.

    8. Dr. Carson apologized for his comments; his words stand for themselves. But why was the question asked?

      The question was asked because LGBTQ people are in fact people and whether or not LGBTQ people in the US have equal rights to straight people is (sadly) a current political issue. It’s one that a president of the US can affect. Accordingly, his position is relevant to whether people decide to vote for him because LGBTQ people are people and people’s rights matter.

      Does one expect any president or candidate to be expert on the psychology of sex?

      Huh, apparently being gay is just about sex. It’s not like there’s anything else involved, like maybe loving relationships or family or any of those nice things that straight people have with their partners – it’s all just about our carnal desires. And actually giving a fuck about our families and our rights requires expertise, rather than basic human compassion.

      Many journalists try hard to invoke passion—anger, fear, envy, hate, greed—by ambushing the interviewee with unanswerable questions on emotional, divisive, personal issues, taking statements out of context, misrepresenting them, and blowing them all out of proportion.

      So, what, calling him on saying something homophobic is taking his statement out of context and misrepresenting him? Saying that sort of homophobia is unacceptable is blowing things out of proportion? I mean, it’s not like he compared people’s loving relationships to rape or anything…

      And it’s not just a “personal issue” when there are laws that affect people’s lives. It’s not a needlessly divisive question when there are laws that affect people’s lives. It’s the laws and social norms that reinforce homophobia that are needlessly divisive. Calling out homophobia is only divisive if you don’t believe that the division it causes counts–I guess because LGBTQ people don’t count.

      Even if he doesn’t know what causes our sexual orientations, it wouldn’t be that hard to respond to the question. He could say something like, “It doesn’t matter whether or not sexual orientation is a choice because there’s no moral difference in being in a relationship with someone of the same sex or someone of a different sex. It’s disappointing that too many in our society say otherwise, and that the gender of one’s partner affects ones rights and social standing.” That would respond to the question without hurting anyone.

      Why? It is easier than thinking; anger precludes reason.

      I guess it’s not possible to be reasonably and justifiably angry at discrimination then? Well, I guess it’s easy if you’re not part of a group that’s affected.

      It satisfies their egos and advances their shallow political agendas.

      Huh, I didn’t know wanting equality is a shallow political agenda.

      And it worked. Many of you are very angry. But you can’t get to know Dr. Carson (or anyone) by listening to what someone else says about a single comment, especially when that someone has an agenda.

      He made a choice to say what he did. Surely that illustrates something, however big or small.

      Listen to him.

      I think that’s why people are reacting–because they did listen to him, and they didn’t like what he said.

      Despite a few honest slips to interviewers trying hard to provoke such slips, you will see a brilliant mind, a true leader, and a humble, compassionate man.

      Except not to LGBTQ people.

      But I guess we don’t count.

    9. The question was asked because the needs rights and concerns of all citizens matter. This trend of ignoring sections of the population is troubling. The 99%, 47% and 10% matter.

    10. Dr. Carson apologized for his comments; his words stand for themselves. But why was the question asked? Does one expect any president or candidate to be expert on the psychology of sex? Many journalists try hard to invoke passion—anger, fear, envy, hate, greed—by ambushing the interviewee with unanswerable questions on emotional, divisive, personal issues, taking statements out of context, misrepresenting them, and blowing them all out of proportion. Why? It is easier than thinking; anger precludes reason. It satisfies their egos and advances their shallow political agendas. And it worked. Many of you are very angry. But you can’t get to know Dr. Carson (or anyone) by listening to what someone else says about a single comment, especially when that someone has an agenda. Listen to him. Despite a few honest slips to interviewers trying hard to provoke such slips, you will see a brilliant mind, a true leader, and a humble, compassionate man.

      Yet you can’t give one example of anything decent or compassionate he has said.

      1. I’m reminded of the saying, “when a man tells you what kind of person he is, believe him.”

        This guy sounds like the kind of boyfriend who hates your cats, doesn’t want you to spend time around your friends, tells you how you can dress, puts down how you look, and expects you to cook all his meals and already know how he likes them cooked — but your relatives tell you, “he’s such a catch.”
        Do you really want to marry him?

    11. But you can’t get to know Dr. Carson (or anyone) by listening to what someone else says about a single comment

      It’s just adorable how you think that he hasn’t been on the radar of lots of people for quite a while now, and has made plenty of other risible bullshit statements in that time.

  4. Men are often making big decisions regarding things they consider “inappropriate” or “abnormal”. This is not a sexist remark, it is simply that men are more often in a position of power, thus, what they have to say tends to be heard more.

    I wrote a piece about the DG of Vanier College, Normand Bernier, cancelling a presentation that was to be held at the college regarding Women’s Rights in Prostitution due to law changes. He said that it was inappropriate, though the talk had been given before at the college… check it out: https://katherinewillcocks.wordpress.com/2015/03/23/vanier-dg-cancels-international-womens-week-stella-presentation/

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