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06/08/2011
21st century Mitt shirks 'sin' question; 20th century Mitt 'just said it was wrong'
As you may have heard by now, Mitt Romney refused to answer Piers Morgan's questions regarding whether he sees homosexuality as a sin. Which is not surprising, as Romney has been quite pragmatic about his LGBT rights support/opposition for most of his time politics. We wouldn't expect a straight answer, so to speak.
So since Romney isn't talking on this point, we have no choice but to turn back to the one thing thing we know for certain, per his own words. That is, that he does believe, based on his faith, that homosexuality is "wrong" and should be avoided. Or at least he did believe this back in 1994, when the Boston Globe pressed him on even stronger allegations:
Boston Globe, July 15, 1994:
Speaking last fall to a Mormon Church gathering, Mitt Romney, then on the verge of launching a bid for a US Senate seat, expressed dismay at reports of homosexual behavior in the group and denounced homosexuality as "perverse," according to several people present at the meeting.
Romney's alleged comments on homosexual practices were part of a 20-minute address he delivered on November 14 to the Cambridge University Ward, which numbers about 250 to 300 single Mormons.
"He said he was appalled at the incidence of homosexuals in the congregation," said Rick Rawlins, a 32-year-old Mormon who had previously served as a counselor to the ward's bishop. "He went on to say that he found homosexuality both perverse and reprehensible."
Romney, who as a candidate has crafted an image as a moderate on social issues, insists he never made those comments, but rather warned that both homosexuality and heterosexual sex outside marriage were immoral.
Three other people who listened to Romney's address, who asked that their names not be used, corroborated Rawlins' account.
Romney acknowledged he told the congregation that nonmarital sex, be it heterosexual or homosexual, is "an evil of our day."
Those comments, he said, were just a small part of a speech that emphasized the need for inclusiveness and stressed that Mormons should strive for integrity, spurn bigotry and discrimination, and not let the desire for money dominate their lives.
"I did not make those statements you indicate have been attributed to me," he said in a written statement issued to the Globe.
"If someone in our church misunderstood what I said, I apologize and wish they had come to me at the time. I would be happy now to speak to them and clear up any confusion they may have."
...
The GOP candidate said in an interview on Wednesday that he was merely emphasizing church teachings that any sex outside of marriage is immoral.
"I specifically said they should avoid homosexuality and they should avoid heterosexual relations outside of marriage," Romney said. "I did not use the words perverse or perversion. I just said it was wrong. . . . That is what my church believes."
FULL PIECE ($$): Romney allegedly faulted gays in talk to Mormons [7/15/94 Boston Globe]
"I just said it was wrong."
Is there was the prospective candidate still is, nearly seventeen years later? An enterprising journalist will find out.
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