Let's be clear: Ben Carson is very much against same-sex marriage

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11/14/2014

by Jeremy Hooper

The PR person who pitched me the following clip presented it coupled with the claim that Ben Carson, conservative pundit, rumored presidential candidate, and man who has equaled homosexuality with bestiality, is "not against same sex marriage." Just because he said this:

CARSON: "For me, it’s not a big issue. You know, I think any people can do anything they want to do. It’s just that they don’t get to redefine everything for anybody else. So I’m very much a libertarian in the sense of believing ‘live and let live,’ but that goes in both directions and some people don’t recognize that."

No, he is not saying he's "not against same-sex marriage." What he is saying is that he has not problem with people having ceremonies and whatnot. However, he, a man who keynoted the National Organization For Marriage's recent gala, is very much against "redefining everything for anybody else," as he says. Translation: he is against civil law recognizing same-sex marriage (i.e. the only practical thing the marriage equality movement is really seeking).

We all know that same-sex couples can "do anything the want" in terms of having a ceremony. Anyone can have a non-binding, customary ceremony with anyone else. Life Savers made a very charming commercial driving home this point:

But Ben Carson believes that when we, actual gay human beings who live and pay taxes in America, say that we are entitled to equal marriage rights under civil law, that we are somehow going against his "live and let live" ideals. He believes that our accommodation equals "redefinition." He believes he has the right to tell us we "don't get to" do that. He believes that a system that is great and wonderful and powerful for American taxpayers who find themselves in opposite-sex couplings is not and should not be available to same-sex duos (even though it already is to same-sex duos in a majority of our states, our national's capital, and under federal law). He is IN NO WAY okay with marriage equality. It is deceptive and dangerous to suggest that he is.

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