Santorum: I'll Ban Gay Marriage in Every State

GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum recently appeared on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight" and told Morgan, if elected president, he would make it illegal for same-sex couples to marry across the country, On Top Magazine reported.

Once again, Santorum used his religion to defend his stance on gay marriage. "Marriage is an institution that existed before governments existed," he told the interviewer. "It's something that reflects nature and reflects God and God's will for us."

Having said that, he added "I think it's important to understand that you respect everyone and you respect their rights to be able to live their life in the way that they want to live it."

The British journalist then asked the politician, "So when you say you respect their rights, isn't their legal right in New York now to get marriage?"

"Well, it's a law. But it's not a natural right," Santorum replied. "I mean, it's a law. There are lots of laws that are not rights ... I would say it's a privilege. I would change the law to make a uniform definition of marriage in this country,"

Morgan asked the former Pennsylvania senator if he would make it illegal for gays and lesbians to marry.

"All I would say is that marriage has been voted on 32 times in this country in 32 states, from Maine to California, and 32 times the people of this country have said that marriage is between a man and a woman and the public should have a say about this," he answered.

Santorum has been up front about his anti-gay views and has been asked several times about his stance on gay marriage and other LGBT issues. While campaigning in New Hampshire, Santorum was asked if his negative views on same-sex marriage makes him electable, EDGE reported on Jan. 9.

"Everyone on the stage yesterday and the day before has pretty much the exact same issue on those issues," he said to an overflow crowd at the Derry-Salem Elks Club, referring to the two previous Republican presidential debates in Manchester and Concord. "President Obama says he has the same position I have on gay marriage. The only difference between myself and any of them is when somebody asks me a question, I answer it."

Several gay rights supporters have not been afraid to call Santorum out, however. In a Jan. 23 article EDGE reported that while campaigning in Florida, the politician was heckled by a man who was yelling "no hate" during a Santorum campaign event. Days earlier, in South Carolina, Occupy protesters shouted "gay rights" and "bigot" then glitter bombed Santorum.

The Defense of Marriage Act allows states that don't recognize gay marriages not to have to recognize them from other states. The act is coming under fire from Democratic senators, House members (including some Republicans) and several court cases, at least one of which is widely thought to end up on the Supreme Court docket.

In all, 29 states have bans on gay marriage, either in state constitutions or on the books. Two states recognize gay marriages from other states. New York State had done so until it legalized gay marriage in June of last year. Washington State is expected to join six other states and the District of Columbia in legalizing gay marriage soon.