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Dr. Ben Carson Apologizes For Saying Being Gay Is a Choice

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Dr. Ben Carson on Wednesday walked back from comments he made saying being gay was a choice, noting in a Facebook post that his "choice of language does not reflect fully my heart on gay issues."
The about-face come hours after he appeared on CNN, where, when asked if being gay was a choice, Carson said: "Absolutely."



He explained, "Because a lot of people who go into prison go into prison straight -- and when they come out, they're gay. So, did something happen while they were in there? Ask yourself that question."
Carson's remarks came shortly after he formed a committee to explore a 2016 presidential bid for the Republican nomination. The former neurosurgeon issued an apology later Wednesday on Facebook, though he noted that "up until this point there have been no definitive studies that people are born into a specific sexuality."
" … I realized that my choice of language does not reflect fully my heart on gay issues," he wrote. "I do not pretend to know how every individual came to their sexual orientation. I regret that my words to express that concept were hurtful and divisive. For that I apologize unreservedly to all that were offended."
Carson said he supports rights and Constitutional protections for LGBT people plus the right for states to approve or deny gay marriage.

File paperwork to create a presidential exploratory committee on Monday, having to backpedal on Wednesday.

The clowncar has arrived and the clowns are exiting.
Dr. Ben Carson Apologizes For Saying Being Gay Is a Choice - NBC News
 
Carson said he supports rights and Constitutional protections for LGBT people plus the right for states to approve or deny gay marriage.

He supports LGBT rights, and the right of states to deny them? Seems a bit contradictory.

To the rest, wow! He had a big first day as a prospective presidential candidate.
 
Won't hurt him. Social conservatives will view it as curtailing what he really believes to win moderate votes and moderates will forget about it in a week.
 
Won't hurt him. Social conservatives will view it as curtailing what he really believes to win moderate votes and moderates will forget about it in a week.

True, it will not change one vote for or against him. It just shows how this guy is not ready for prime time. But he promises to bring some comedy to the doldrums of this electrion
 
Well, another election cycle begins with voters agreeing to be idiots with these absurd and pointless gotja! games the partisans sling back and forth.

This is really going to be a miserable election cycle for which "the clowns" will be such as the partisan hacks posting on this forum - both sides. Partisan hacks raging their gotja points are the dumbest of all voters.
 
True, it will not change one vote for or against him. It just shows how this guy is not ready for prime time. But he promises to bring some comedy to the doldrums of this electrion

"Not ready for prime time" is a phrase that's being worn out rather quickly and is, of course, meaningless.
 
Well, another election cycle begins with voters agreeing to be idiots with these absurd and pointless gotja! games the partisans sling back and forth.

This is really going to be a miserable election cycle for which "the clowns" will be such as the partisan hacks posting on this forum - both sides. Partisan hacks raging their gotja points are the dumbest of all voters.

"Gotja!(sic) games"? Asking a candidate a for the highest office in the land on a topical issue is a "gotja!(sic) game"? What do you think reporters should be allowed to ask candidates? Should they pre-approve all questions with the candidate before asking them? Or just check with you first?
 
"Not ready for prime time" is a phrase that's being worn out rather quickly and is, of course, meaningless.

Can we add the " gotja" phrase to that list of meaningless phrases.

Unfortunately your man is going to have a " gotja" moment everytime he is asked a question.
 
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He need only proclaim "I've been going through an evolution on this issue" and all will be forgiven.

If he can kinda-sorta play basketball or the saxophone, all the better.
 
Can we add the " gotja" phrase to that list of meaningless phrases.

Unfortunately your man is going to have a " gotja" moment everytime he is asked a question.

If you don't mind, but I'm both reiterating your OP and adding a bit that you didn't, probably because they aren't from the same source.

In a statement to CNN, Carson walked back his assertion.

"I realized that my choice of language does not reflect fully my heart on gay issues," Carson said. "I do not pretend to know how every individual came to their sexual orientation. I regret that my words to express that concept were hurtful and divisive. For that I apologize unreservedly to all that were offended."

The American Psychological Association notes that while there is "there is no consensus among scientists" on how sexual orientation develops, few individuals experience a "sense of choice" on the matter.

"Although much research has examined the possible genetic, hormonal, developmental, social and cultural influences on sexual orientation, no findings have emerged that permit scientists to conclude that sexual orientation is determined by any particular factor or factors," the APA says. "Many think that nature and nurture both play complex roles; most people experience little or no sense of choice about their sexual orientation."

In my opinion, Carson has pissed in his peanut butter. It's hard to say something like he did and then come back with..."Gosh, I'm sorry, didn't mean it.", without getting some negative consequences (which at this point isn't quantifiable). Regardless, it's forever written in the history books, he can't take it back.

Thanks, CCK...
 
File paperwork to create a presidential exploratory committee on Monday, having to backpedal on Wednesday.

The clowncar has arrived and the clowns are exiting.
Dr. Ben Carson Apologizes For Saying Being Gay Is a Choice - NBC News

Ben Carson is too stupid to make up a believable lie
"I do not pretend to know how every individual came to their sexual orientation.

If you watch the video, when asked if being gay was a choice, he responded "Absolutely" without hesitation or doubt. He clearly does pretend to know how every gay person came to be gay.

If he can't lie well, then he's obviously unqualified to be President.

He need only proclaim "I've been going through an evolution on this issue" and all will be forgiven.

The problem is, he doesn't believe in evolution
 
Well, don't worry then. If the destination is Washington, the clown car is headed to exactly the right place.

As many circuses I have seen in my life I still enjoy the clowncar. It still makes me chuckle.


clown-car.jpg
 
File paperwork to create a presidential exploratory committee on Monday, having to backpedal on Wednesday.

The clowncar has arrived and the clowns are exiting.
Dr. Ben Carson Apologizes For Saying Being Gay Is a Choice - NBC News

I like Dr. Carson, I think he's a smart man and from all appearances is an exceptional neurosurgeon. He's not a politician, should not want to be a politician, and would not make a very good politician. Like all Americans, he's entitled to his opinion, no matter how misguided it may be. He's also entitled to voice it. But with that he has to take the heat.

I wish marriage, religion and abortion were banned as topics from any future Presidential discussion, ever.
 
He supports LGBT rights, and the right of states to deny them? Seems a bit contradictory.

To the rest, wow! He had a big first day as a prospective presidential candidate.

Sounds like typical political jargon to me - being as loudmouthed as possible while saying nothing of value

Why the hell is he even commenting on this? The supreme court will decide SSM in june, *18 months* before the next prez will even take office.
 
I like Dr. Carson, I think he's a smart man and from all appearances is an exceptional neurosurgeon. He's not a politician, should not want to be a politician, and would not make a very good politician. Like all Americans, he's entitled to his opinion, no matter how misguided it may be. He's also entitled to voice it. But with that he has to take the heat.

I wish marriage, religion and abortion were banned as topics from any future Presidential discussion, ever.

As many problems our nation faces, the three areas you listed should be way down on the list of a presidental candidate. Just do the job keeping this country running and safe.
 
Ben Carson is too stupid to make up a believable lie

He's not stupid. Are you a doctor of some sort? Scratch that, are you a well respected doctor? No? I'm not either. However, I won't pretend that his success in his field isn't there. The problem with Ben Carson is that he's been played off as too educated to not realize what he was saying. His supporters have two choices, they can either say it was a gaffe and should be forgiven - they won't because that would show he's not as brilliant as they pretend he is. Or they can stand behind his words which basically sets them back 10 years.
 
He need only proclaim "I've been going through an evolution on this issue" and all will be forgiven.

If he can kinda-sorta play basketball or the saxophone, all the better.

Like obama tried, but it backfires when former advisers write a tell-all revealing he only opposed SSM to begin with for political gain
 
As many problems our nation faces, the three areas you listed should be way down on the list of a presidental candidate. Just do the job keeping this country running and safe.

Agreed. That's always been my problem with any of these issues, or the candidate's opinion on them, being discussed, by the candidate or his/her opponents or critics or supporters or whatever. And I know someone will say "But but but the courts and the judges!". Yes, I know that. But even that doesn't always work out the way the candidate envisions. Anyone who voted for George HW Bush assuming he was going to put a conservative on the Court was probably pretty upset when David Souter turned out to be anything but a conservative.
 
He's not stupid. Are you a doctor of some sort? Scratch that, are you a well respected doctor? No? I'm not either. However, I won't pretend that his success in his field isn't there. The problem with Ben Carson is that he's been played off as too educated to not realize what he was saying. His supporters have two choices, they can either say it was a gaffe and should be forgiven - they won't because that would show he's not as brilliant as they pretend he is. Or they can stand behind his words which basically sets them back 10 years.

Nah, they won't because mostly only bigots vote in the repub primary

Religion has this curious effect of making people who are otherwise brilliant and dedicated adherents of scientific method into mideast goat herders from 2000 years ago, when it comes to certain subjects - and this is one of those

In other words, he's dumber than a lobotomized monkey
 
If you don't mind, but I'm both reiterating your OP and adding a bit that you didn't, probably because they aren't from the same source.



In my opinion, Carson has pissed in his peanut butter. It's hard to say something like he did and then come back with..."Gosh, I'm sorry, didn't mean it.", without getting some negative consequences (which at this point isn't quantifiable). Regardless, it's forever written in the history books, he can't take it back.

Thanks, CCK...
What is more astounding is that this did not come from the average ignorant politician, but from a physician turning politician.
 
I like Dr. Carson, I think he's a smart man and from all appearances is an exceptional neurosurgeon. He's not a politician, should not want to be a politician, and would not make a very good politician. Like all Americans, he's entitled to his opinion, no matter how misguided it may be. He's also entitled to voice it. But with that he has to take the heat.

I wish marriage, religion and abortion were banned as topics from any future Presidential discussion, ever.

You would wish away what 90% - 95% of the people in America vote on then. Both sides use, and have used religion, abortion and marriage as wedge issues for years/decades now.
 
You would wish away what 90% - 95% of the people in America vote on then. Both sides use, and have used religion, abortion and marriage as wedge issues for years/decades now.

90-95% of the people vote for POTUS based on his opinion on abortion, religion and marriage.

Please back that up with a source. A reputable one.
 
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