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Rick Santorum Terrifies Me, And He Should Terrify You, Too

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Tufts chapter.

 
Maybe Tufts is a liberal school.  Maybe I am not as knowledgeable about politics as I should be.  Maybe I tend to vote Democrat.
 
BUT OH MY GOSH RICK SANTORUM TERRIFIES ME.
 
It’s not that I think he will win the Presidency or even the Republican nomination, but the fact that he is running at all means that he represents a whole group of people.  A big group.  As a Massachusetts native, I have definitely been “sheltered.”  I don’t know anyone who is against same-sex marriage and barely anyone who is against abortions.  But I don’t understand how anyone could think that the hateful, close-minded things that Rick Santorum has said are in line with the America I live in.  The President of the United States should represent as many Americans as possible.  I have nothing against a strong religious belief at all, but it should not guide every aspect of your platform.  Ugh.  Instead of rambling on about it, just read a few quotes from the man himself.

 
“One of the things I will talk about, that no president has talked about before, is I think the dangers of contraception in this country…. Many of the Christian faith have said, well, that’s okay, contraception is okay. It’s not okay. It’s a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be.”
 
       ^ Could you define “supposed to be” for me, please?
 
“In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever to my knowledge included homosexuality. That’s not to pick on homosexuality. It’s not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be.” 

 
    ^ Why are you thinking about man on dog?
 
“Is anyone saying same-sex couples can’t love each other? I love my children. I love my friends, my brother. Heck, I even love my mother-in-law. Should we call these relationships marriage, too?”
 
    ^ You clearly don’t understand how sexuality works.  Or what it is.  (At least I hope not.)
 
“But I do have concerns about women in front-line combat, I think that could be a very compromising situation, where people naturally may do things that may not be in the interest of the mission, because of other types of emotions that are involved.  It already happens, of course, with the camaraderie of men in combat, but I think it would be even more unique if women were in combat, and I think that’s probably not in the best interest of men, women or the mission.”
 
    ^ Thank God Rick Santorum is saving me from my own emotions!  I just have so many!
 
“The idea that the Crusades and the fight of Christendom against Islam is somehow an aggression on our part is absolutely anti-historical. And that is what the perception is by the American Left who hates Christendom. … What I’m talking about is onward American soldiers. What we’re talking about are core American values.”
 
    ^ Wh-wh-what?

 
“The reason Social Security is in big trouble is we don’t have enough workers to support the retirees. Well, a third of all the young people in America are not in America today because of abortion.”
 
    ^ This one made me laugh in disbelief.
 
During an appearance on Fox News Sunday in October, Santorum defended his support for Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell by arguing that gay soldiers would disrupt the military because “they’re in close quarters, they live with people, they obviously shower with people.” He also suggested that “there are people who were gay and lived the gay lifestyle and aren’t anymore.”
 
    ^ No comment.
 
Oh, did I mention that he wants to nullify all existing same-sex marriages?

     

 
All opinions are my own.  And I stick by them.  If you’d like to write something in defense of Santorum or in response to this article, please email me at tuftshercampus@gmail.com!

Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/27/rick-santorum-quotes_n_1299205.html?ref=politics#s720145&title=Women_In_Combat
 
http://politicalhumor.about.com/b/2012/02/16/rick-santorum-quotes.htm
 
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/01/04/397355/rick-santorums-top-10-most-outrageous-campaign-statements/
 
http://www.currentaffairs.net.au/images/rick-santorum.jpg
 
http://www.algemeiner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/800px-Rick_Santorum_by_Gage_Skidmore_3.jpg
 
http://truthquake.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/rick-santorum-gay-stupid-funny-mitt-romney-obama-islam-racist-freemason-birth-control-2012-republican-ron-paul-wife-occupy-wall-st-protests-family-daughter-for-president-shirtless-crazy-bella-kids-wiki-pennsylvania-tea-party.jpg

Danielle Carbonneau is a senior at Tufts University double majoring in English and Spanish with a minor in Communications and Media Studies. She is very interested in advertising and has been the editor-in-chief of a creative writing publication on campus. Danielle loves chocolate chip pancakes, horror stories, and her family. She has a crush on HerCampus and all the amazing contributing writers.