Posted on 01/05/2012 10:21:11 PM PST by Libloather
Santorum booed for his positions on same-sex marriage, legal pot
By Alicia M. Cohn - 01/05/12 06:21 PM ET
Amid boos and occasional cheers, Rick Santorum defended his views on same-sex marriage and legalized marijuana, as he was peppered with questions by a crowd of college students in New Hampshire on Thursday.
The conservative candidate did not sidestep a challenge issued by several members of the crowd on the subject, but instead asked students to break down their argument so he could reply at length.
“Don’t you have to make the positive argument why the law should be changed?” he asked.
Santorum was speaking at the College Convention 2012, an event in Concord, New Hampshire planned ahead of Santorum’s recent surprise jump in the polls.
The initial question posed to Santorum was to explain how same-sex marriage “personally” affected him. Santorum has expressed his support of a federal ban on same-sex marriage.
Santorum noted that he was not surprised to take a question on same-sex marriage from a college-aged audience, and said he was “happy to engage in a discussion” but emphasized that it would be “civil” even as he faced interruptions from various members of the audience.
Santorum grilled one female audience member who chimed in on the subject, challenging her to defend her argument in favor of same-sex marriage by answering questions about whether the definition of marriage should be changed to reflect whatever makes various people happy.
"Are we saying everybody has the right to marry," Santorum asked.
"Yes, yes," a significant segment of the crowd responded.
"What about three men?" Santorum challenged. “If she reflects the values that marriage can be for anybody or any group of people, as many as is necessary, any two people or any three or four, marriage really means whatever you want it to mean.”
The student fired back a qualification that people should be allowed what makes them happy so long as it didn’t harm anyone else.
“Who decides that, though?” Santorum said.
Santorum concluded with a passionate defense of traditional marriage that included his argument in favor of a “birthright” of every child to know and be loved by a man and a woman. His argument earned applause.
Asked about laws to legalize marijuana, Santorum admitted he is not familiar with the nuances of medical marijuana laws. Marijuana use by prescription has been legalized in several states, with various restrictions. Santorum pushed back against rumbling in the already testy crowd, joking he knows he’s “supposed to know everything.”
But he said he believes marijuana use is dangerous, based on his personal experience of seeing it used. "I went to college, too,” he told the crowd.
Santorum hit the campaign trial in New Hampshire after a near-win in the Iowa caucuses on Tuesday, where Mitt Romney beat him by just 8 votes. Santorum is enjoying a slight bump in the most recent polls in New Hampshire as a result, hitting 11 percent and 8 percent in the most recent polls from Washington Times-JZ Analytics and Suffolk University, respectively. Santorum's win in Iowa was credited in part to the large evangelical voting population and Santorum's credibility with social conservatives.
oh and even folks who are disabled can and DO help -- they can use their minds etc. Weaker folks can help with accounting, communities whatever.
People need to value their citizenship -- that's why legal immigrants can be more patriotic than these kids....
I’m with you on that
He didnt back down to them or waffle
How refreshing
Hey, you’re talking about the “free love and pot” college crowd from the 60’s
the ones who are running the MEdia and this country now
Who was the campaign schlub who sked this? College entitlement brats??! Put Rick in front of evangelicals, for Christ's sake!
Wait, college students booed him for wanting to legalize pot?
I can see the gay marriage thing, but what???? on the other?
Never mind, read it wrong.
Need my coffee...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0vG1CM95Js
I thought he handled it very well, and they couldn’t argue with his logic. In fact, the girl basically said she was fine with marriage with 3 men if that was what made them happy. So the problem is, if marriage can mean anything, it will come to mean nothing.
Only Taxpayer, Property owners and Vets get to vote. Not even Government workers{Fed,State and local} should be allowed to vote.
If people on welfare wanted to vote, they would have to get a job and keep it for 1 year.
But,hey...what do I know?
Well, it was a silly argument to begin with. Santorum should’ve ignored it and skipped to another question, instead of going on with his patronizing ‘logic’ about it.
Preaching to the choir...
If Conservatives don't plant the seeds which will flower into younger conservatives, there won't be any. By talking with college crowds, he at least stimulates discussion on what was pretty much liberal turf.
I can't think of a better use of his time.
Sure, he'll get in some pep-rally performances in front of people who are already sympathetic to his positions on the issues, but collecting new voters, if for no other reason than 'he came and talked with us' is something which has been neglected for far too long.
Coming at these matters as a president will be different from coming at them as a senator. Not sure Santorum has fully grasped the change in perspective.
Some may be unnerved at the logic, or illogic, of “OK, show me why I should not ban such and such.” This is not a fair question vis a vis “gay marriage” because that’s really wishing a whole new legally enforced structure on society that it never had. It’s a fair question vis a vis easing drug regulations, as there was not seen to be any need for banning pot in the very early 20th century and earlier (even while alcohol was banned).
I'm 50 and live aboard a small cruising sailboat, most of my friends are other boat people, most over 50, different incomes, and about 3/4 of them smoke pot. And most of those older pot smokers are actually conservative politically. Not saying that's typical. Large percentage of veterans.
That said, if Santorum ends up being the nominee, I think he has strong core values and overall he has my confidence.
Raise the voting age to 25...
Leftists think anyone can marry, including pedophiles. Well, except for Mormon polygamists because they’re right wing. Right-wing Mormon polygamists marrying doesn’t make liberals happy, so they can’t marry.
Maybe so, but from his writings, I believe he was more libertarian and would have seen nothing wrong with legalizing drugs and allowing any sort of sex mix for marriages - in fact he would have been fine with temproary alliances vs. marriage.
I do, too. Let the little mush-heads blather their cute little mantras and talking points, but then, push back and make them defend their positions.....truly, defend their positions, and watch them fold like tents.
This is a huge reason why I think that the voting age should be raised to at least 21 at a minimum. College kids are pathetic mush-heads. I went to college too
I hope Paul runs 3rd party, he would pull all these cretins away from King Barry.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.