Numerous conservatives have said that the Massachusetts Supreme Court’s landmark 2003 ruling in favor of marriage equality inspired them to fight for “traditional marriage” on the federal level, but then-Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum offered the strongest explanation for his involvement in the cause, linking the decision to the terrorist attacks of 9/11:
“This is an issue just like 9–11,” said Santorum, the Senate’s No. 3 GOP leader. “We didn’t decide we wanted to fight the war on terrorism because we wanted to. It was brought to us. And if not now, when? When the supreme courts in all the other states have succumbed to the Massachusetts version of the law?”
More examples of Santorum’s inflammatory rhetoric here, here, and here.
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