Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson apologized this week for suggesting that being gay is a choice, his remarks regarding same-sex marriages sparking more interest in the press than his announcement he’s considering running for president in 2016.
“I do not pretend to know how every individual came to their sexual orientation,” he said in a statement after his initial remarks were poorly received. “I regret that my words to express that concept were hurtful and divisive. For that I apologize unreservedly to all that were offended.”
Citing his background in medicine, he added:”I’m a doctor trained in multiple fields of medicine, who was blessed to work at perhaps the finest institution of medical knowledge in the world. Some of our brightest minds have looked at this debate, and up until this point there have been no definitive studies that people are born into a specific sexuality.”
“We do know, however, that we are always born male and female.And I know that we are all made in God’s Image, which means we are all deserving of respect and dignity,” he said.
In an interview that aired Wednesday, Carson told CNN’s Chris Cuomo that comparisons between restrictions on same-sex marriages and slavery are “flawed,” arguing that the two are not equal as “People have no control over their race.”
He then said of persons who he believes have control over their sexual orientation: “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.”
These remarks quickly eclipsed Carson’s Tuesday announcement that he has filed paperwork to run for the president of the United States, with blogs, newspapers and news shows shifting their focus instead to his theories on gay lifestyles.
Carson-related television coverage especially saw a noticeable uptick as cable and network television each dedicated programming Wednesday to covering his remarks on same-sex marriage:
But Carson said he regrets the remarks and said as much in a statement after his interview with Cuomo aired.
He added he supports “rights and Constitutional protections for gay people,” including civil marriage.
“Religious marriage is an oath before God and congregation,” he said. “Religious marriage must only be governed by the church. Judges and government must not be allowed to restrict religious belief.”
Prior to releasing a statement that walked back his comments on gay lifestyles, Carson griped in an interview with Sean Hannity that he was being treating unfairly.
“It was a 25-minute interview [CNN] chopped, and you see what part they emphasized,” he said. “I did learn something very important: For certain networks, never do a pre-taped interview. Always do it live.”
“I simply have decided I’m not really going to talk about that issue anymore because every time I’m gaining momentum the liberal press says, ‘Let’s talk about gay rights.’ And I’m just not going to fall for that anymore,” Carson said.
The retired neurosurgeon is the first of the 2016 White House hopefuls, which may include Govs. Scott Walker, R-Wis., Bobby Jindal, R-La., and Chris Christie, R-N.J., to file paperwork with the Federal Election Commission.
