Sorry for the late update on this... life is pretty busy lately!

We've been hearing more about Senator Rick Santorum in the news lately, much to my surprise. The latest news is that shortly after the 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, Santorum sent out fundraising letters asking for donations to a group lobbying against same-sex marriage.

Several things are interesting about this case. For one thing, it isn't particularly surprising that Santorum, a Republican, would oppose same-sex unions. But he was more than just opposed to them- he went on a fundraising campaign for the Alexandria, Va.-based Alliance for Marriage, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that wants a Constitutional amendment banning same-sex unions.

That itself is particularly curious, considering that non-profits are not permitted to engage in political lobbying or campaigning. Santorum referred to the group as a non-profit political group, which is something that can't really exist. Something's a bit fishy there.

More disturbing than that is Santorum's timing and his wording. In his letter, it almost sounds like he's equating gay unions with terrorism; the letter, written shortly after the terrorist attacks begins, "I know it may sound like a huge exaggeration, particularly in light of the attack on America, but this may truly be the most important letter I ever write you" and goes on to say that he wants to "protect marriage between a man and a woman against the attacks of the homosexual activists" (emphasis added). If I didn't know better, I'd say he was trying to make a parallel between terrorist attacks and these supposed "attacks" on marriage.

Particularly amusing is Log Cabin Republican Mark Mead's remark that Santorum has an "unhealthy obsession" and noted there are more important issues he could focus on like "education, a fair tax code, safer streets, prescription-drug medicines for those who don't have coverage."

In other news, it looks like some Republicans are trying to propagate a new meme that Santorum has already apologized for his remarks equating gay sex with incest and asserting that people have no right to privacy in their own bedrooms. Clearly this is not the case as nobody seems to have heard this apology. Still, Texas Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison claims "He's apologized and I accept the apology."

You'd think if he'd apologized, someone other than Kay Bailey Hutchison would have heard about it... like maybe the people Santorum impugned, for example. Isn't the point of apologizing that you give your apology to the person you wronged?

Texas Republican senator John Cornyn joined the fray and lamented, "I worry a little bit when someone expresses a view that is not universally popular that they are vilified for it."

Pot, you have a call on line one... it's someone called "kettle" saying something about color? Maybe if Cornyn could get his head out of his nether-regions he'd be able to see that this is exactly what his party and its affiliates (like the "Family" "Research" Council, Focus on the "Family", the American "Family" Association, et al) do to gays and lesbians every single day without end or reprieve.

Probably too much to hope for.

Before this meme gets too far, let it be universally understood that Santorum has NOT apologized and nobody's buying his claim that he isn't making statements about anybody's lifestyles. Clearly, he is, and clearly he has a history of doing the same.

---Nick

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