Dr. Ben Carson, a pediatric
neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins University and a conservative
celebrity, has denied he linked gay marriage to bestiality and
pedophilia.
Carson's original remarks on the
subject during a Fox News interview drew a loud outcry from students
and faculty.
“My thoughts are that marriage is
between a man and a woman,” he said Tuesday on Hannity.
“It's a well-established, fundamental pillar of society, and no
group, be the gays, be they NAMBLA, be they people who believe in
bestiality – it doesn't matter what they are – they don't get to
change the definition,” Carson said, referring to the North
American Man Boy/Love Association, a group which is thought to no
longer exist.
The comments spurred a
petition by students asking to have Carson replaced as graduation
speaker.
Carson expanded on his thoughts in
comments to the Baltimore
Sun.
“I think people have completely taken
the wrong meaning out of what I was saying,” Carson said. “First
of all, I certainly believe gay people should have all the rights
that anybody else has. What I was basically saying is that, as far
as marriage is concerned, that has traditionally been between a man
and a woman, and nobody should be able to change that.”
“Now perhaps the examples were not
the best choice of words, and I certainly apologize if I offended
anyone.”
Appearing on CNN's The Situation
Room, Carson said he loved gay people.
“As a Christian, we have a duty to
love everyone and to love them as themselves. And so I love gay
people, I love straight people. So, this was really, I think, on my
behalf somewhat insensitive and I certainly apologize if I offended
anyone because I was not in any way comparing gays with people who
engage in bestiality or sexual child abuse.” (The video is
embedded on this page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)
On Friday, Carson said he was willing
not to speak at the medical school's commencement ceremony.
“Absolutely,” he told MSNBC's
Andrea Mitchell. “I would say this is their day and the last thing
I would want to do is rain on their parade.”