# Stupid Santorumisms **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 20, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417 "2012-02-20T14:10:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![XaMcQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/f9ae1b/32.png) [@XaMcQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XaMcQ)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/1 "2012-02-20T14:10:22Z")
Inspired by **gracer’s** reporting of Santorum claiming that 10% of all deaths in the Netherlands were from euthanasia, and that half of those were involuntary, I thought I’d start a thread to collect some of the idiotic things that this supposedly serious candidate has said. Here’s my offering: “The idea that the Crusades and the fight of Christendom against Islam is somehow an aggression on our part is absolutely anti-historical,” Santorum said. “And that is what the perception is by the American left who hates Christendom. They hate Christendom. They hate Western civilization at the core. That’s the problem.” ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/2 "2012-02-20T14:16:56Z")
> [@XaMcQ](#): > > Inspired by **gracer’s** reporting of Santorum claiming that 10% of all deaths in the Netherlands were from euthanasia, and that half of those were involuntary, I thought I’d start a thread to collect some of the idiotic things that this supposedly serious candidate has said. > > Here’s my offering: > > “The idea that the Crusades and the fight of Christendom against Islam is somehow an aggression on our part is absolutely anti-historical,” Santorum said. “And that is what the perception is by the American left who hates Christendom. They hate Christendom. They hate Western civilization at the core. That’s the problem.” Since this is Elections, I suggest cites be provided. I saw video of the 10 percent comment, but only allusions to the Crusades comment. From what you posted, it is so far out as to defy belief (belief he said it). I’m not saying you’re pulling anything, but as outrageous as this has the potential to become it will help to have access to the actual quote and any context. (Again, this is the Elections forum, not the Pit.) Speaking of context (and assuming someone didn’t whoosh XaMcO), what \*is \*his justification for the Crusades–what justification that doesn’t begin with or include a substantial measure of aggression on ‘our’ part? ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/3 "2012-02-20T16:35:14Z")
Oh, [he said it](http://www.goupstate.com/article/20110223/ARTICLES/102231013/1083/ARTICLES?p=all&tc=pgall&tc=ar). February 2011 in South Carolina, before he announced his candidacy. In other “Rick Santorum says stupid shit” news: [“It’s no wonder President Obama wants every kid to go to college,” said the former Pennsylvania senator. “The indoctrination that occurs in American universities is one of the keys to the left holding and maintaining power in America.”](http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57366219-503544/rick-santorum-left-uses-college-for-indoctrination/) Education is bad, mkay? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/4 "2012-02-20T16:37:08Z")
Here’s [a source of](http://www.goupstate.com/article/20110223/ARTICLES/102231013/1083/ARTICLES?p=all&tc=pgall&tc=ar) the pro-crusade quote. The guy is pretty far out there, even by GOP primary candidate standards. > [@](#): > > Speaking of context (and assuming someone didn’t whoosh XaMcO), what is his justification for the Crusades–what justification that doesn’t begin with or include a substantial measure of aggression on ‘our’ part? Apparently, crusading is…an American value…or something? His explanation, at least as reported, is pretty garbled. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/5 "2012-02-20T17:11:29Z")
[Santorum says](http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/01/23/409242/santorum-to-rape-victims-make-the-best-out-of-a-bad-situation/): Victims of rape who get pregnant should accept their “gift” of a baby, and “accept what God has given to you.” So you pregnant rape victims. Suck it up, and “make the best of a bad situation”, says Rick. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/6 "2012-02-20T17:12:15Z")
> [@XaMcQ](#): > > “The idea that the Crusades and the fight of Christendom against Islam is somehow an aggression on our part is absolutely anti-historical,” Santorum said. 😕 It is or it isn’t, depending on the definition of “our.” If it means “Christendom,” then it’s absolutely historical. If it means “America” or “the West,” anti-historical. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/7 "2012-02-20T17:14:40Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > [Santorum says](http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/01/23/409242/santorum-to-rape-victims-make-the-best-out-of-a-bad-situation/): Victims of rape who get pregnant should accept their “gift” of a baby, and “accept what God has given to you.” We’re talking about a religious tradition which says the exact same thing to kids with birth defects – in fact, in the 19th Century there was a whole genre of tracts in America preaching that message. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/8 "2012-02-20T17:21:30Z")
[Santorum says](http://swampland.time.com/2012/02/14/rick-santorum-wants-to-fight-the-dangers-of-contraception/): “One of the things I will talk about that no President has talked about before is I think the dangers of contraception in this country.” Yes Rick. The number one issue that voters want to see discussed is the dangers of contraception. The economy? Meh. Healthcare? So what. Education? Social Security? Taxes? No biggie. National Security? Ah, that’ll take care of itself. Access to contraception? Now that’s a critical issue, and according to Santorum, sex should ONLY be for the purposes of procreation. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/9 "2012-02-20T17:24:10Z")
> [@XaMcQ](#): > > Inspired by **gracer’s** reporting of Santorum claiming that 10% of all deaths in the Netherlands were from euthanasia, and that half of those were involuntary, I thought I’d start a thread to collect some of the idiotic things that this supposedly serious candidate has said. Pardon me. Did Rick Santorum actually state that 5% of all deaths in the Netherlands were due to INVOLUNTARY euthanasia? I knew the guy was a nutcase, but criminy. Don’t we do business with the Dutch? As a potential leader of the USA, you just don’t say crap like this. … Hello, Mister Obama. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/10 "2012-02-20T17:25:59Z")
Parenting has been the most deeply satisfying and rewarding experience of my life. And one I have no intention of repeating, under any circumstances, whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/11 "2012-02-20T17:28:09Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > [Santorum says](http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/01/23/409242/santorum-to-rape-victims-make-the-best-out-of-a-bad-situation/): Victims of rape who get pregnant should accept their “gift” of a baby, and “accept what God has given to you.” > > So you pregnant rape victims. Suck it up, and “make the best of a bad situation”, says Rick. As a brilliant friend of mine said “Apparently he believes that when life hands you rape, you need to make rapenade.” ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/12 "2012-02-20T17:28:22Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > Education is bad, mkay? Not in private Christian schools, where indoctrination is forbidden. ---
**Author:** ![XaMcQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/f9ae1b/32.png) [@XaMcQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XaMcQ)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/13 "2012-02-20T17:47:55Z")
I should have included some cites. I used Politico and Talking Points Memo, [http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/50054.html](http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/50054.html) [http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/02/rick-santorum-the-crusades-get-a-bad-rap.php](http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/02/rick-santorum-the-crusades-get-a-bad-rap.php) or you can Google ‘Santorum Crusades’ or ‘Santorum Christendom’ and decide for yourself. Sadly, I couldn’t find any video or mainstream media coverage, but based on the things Santorum has said on tape, I think he did say it. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/14 "2012-02-20T17:50:15Z")
Or alternatively, one could click on the cites that have already been provided in the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/15 "2012-02-20T18:03:07Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Since this is Elections, I suggest cites be provided. I saw video of the 10 percent comment, but only allusions to the Crusades comment. From what you posted, it is so far out as to defy belief (belief he said it). Err, no offense, but saying “It defies belief that Santorum would say something that out there” is like saying “It defies belief that Clothahump would say something that stupid”. 😃 If someone claimed that he said “non-believers should be put to death”, I’d really hardly bat an eye. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/16 "2012-02-20T18:10:44Z")
I wonder what Santorum’s view is on Catholic universities like Notre Dame or Villanova. He does know that they exist, right? ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/17 "2012-02-20T18:11:06Z")
it’s not too much of a stretch from him opposing Down’s Syndrome babies being aborted to him proposing one as his running mate. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/18 "2012-02-20T18:14:06Z")
And this guy is the front-runner of the GOP? Holy Cow! As I said before… Hello Mister Obama. And honestly, y’all, I hope he wins. I’m voting for him. The LP has nothing going for it. Bob Barr? Egads! The GOP is a bunch of (shoot… I don’t want to violate the board-wide constraints to describe how incompetent the entire field of contenders has been.) Michele Bachmann has been up there. As a potential candidate for POTUS. Really? That’s just embarrassing. Gringrich is out of it. So, the GOP has two religious crazy guys to duke it out. Yee hah. At least it will be amusing. And again… Hello, Mister Obama. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/19 "2012-02-20T18:23:23Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > it’s not too much of a stretch from him opposing Down’s Syndrome babies being aborted to him proposing one as his running mate. What, you think he’d choose a superior as a running mate? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417/20 "2012-02-20T19:05:34Z")
[Santorum Says:](http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Santorum-Global-warming-is-politics-not-science-3344022.php) > [@](#): > > Obama and his allies want to frighten people about new oil-exploration technologies so they can get your dollars and turn it over to politicians to win elections “so they can control your lives.” He said this in the context of climate change research, which he denies is actually science: > [@](#): > > He said the notion of global warming is not climate science but “political science.” So I guess all of those researchers who are working on Climate Science are all just massive frauds. Santorum has spoken. I don’t even understand how the logic works here: 1. Obama frightens people about new technologies for oil exploration 2. Obama and allies get your dollars (how does this step work?) 3. Obama and allies turn your dollars over to politicians to win elections (how does this money magically get funneled to politicians? 4. Obama then controls your life. (Really? Your whole life? Wow!) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-santorumisms/613417.md?page=2)