The Frightening Authoritarian Insanity of Rick Santorum

Consider if you will this quote from a 2003 interview AP interview with Little Ricky. Santorum was asked whether homosexual sex acts should be outlawed. His response:

We have laws in states, like the one at the Supreme Court right now, that has sodomy laws and they were there for a purpose. Because, again, I would argue, they [homosexual acts]undermine the basic tenets of our society and the family. And if the Supreme Court says that you have the right to consensual sex within your home, then you have the right to bigamy, you have the right to polygamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery. You have the right to anything. Does that undermine the fabric of our society? I would argue yes, it does. It all comes from, I would argue, this right to privacy that doesn't exist in my opinion in the United States Constitution, this right that was created, it was created in Griswold — Griswold was the contraceptive case — and abortion. And now we're just extending it out. And the further you extend it out, the more you — this freedom actually intervenes and affects the family. You say, well, it's my individual freedom. Yes, but it destroys the basic unit of our society because it condones behavior that's antithetical to strong healthy families. Whether it's polygamy, whether it's adultery, where it's sodomy, all of those things, are antithetical to a healthy, stable, traditional family. [Emphasis added]

Aside from the pure unadulterated idiocy of putting homosexual sex on the same moral plane as incest, Santorum's argument is terrifying. It implies that the government has the right to smash its way into your home and supervise your sex life. Imagine the monstrous police power Santorum and the other Republican Theocrats would be willing to sanction to enforce their "pro-family" agenda. And remember, homosexuality isn't the end. The reference to Griswold (the Supreme Court decision that struck down anti-contraceptive laws) is a clear signal that the Right's next target is birth control. Remember, the victory of people like Santorum means:

• Gays in prison.
• A government secret police to enforce the "morals" laws.
• Pressure to outlaw "non-procreative" sex.
• Outlawing of birth control.
• Outlawing of abortion even in cases of rape or incest.
• Right-wing pseudo-Christian fanatics governing every aspect of your life.

NOW, are you going to--

• Give money to the Democrats?
• Give volunteer time to your local Democratic organization?
• Work for your local Democratic candidate for the House, Senate, and every other office?
• Work as a poll worker to keep the Republicans from stealing another election?
• Work to keep pressure on your state or district NOT to use voting machines made by pro-Bush Republicans?
• Help dump Santorum's lunatic ass from the Senate in November?

Remember, it's too important for you not to be involved. I'll be there--how about you?