Ben Carson: People Choose To Be Gay, And Prison Proves It

Ben Carson talks to CNN on March 4, 2015 and says prison proves that being gay is a choice.
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Dr. Ben Carson said Wednesday that he believes homosexuality is a choice because some people who go to prison identifying as straight come out of prison identifying as gay.

During a discussion of same-sex marriage, CNN’s Chris Cuomo asked the potential 2016 Republican presidential contender whether he thought being gay was a choice. When Carson replied “absolutely,” Cuomo asked him to explain.

“Because a lot of people who go into prison, go into prison straight — and when they come out they’re gay,” Carson said on “New Day.” “So, did something happen while they were in there? Ask yourself that question.”

Carson went on to argue that changing the definition of marriage isn’t necessary to give gay couples equal rights.

The conservative darling has a history of making disputed remarks about homosexuality, earning him a brief spot on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s anti-LBGT “extremist” list.

He’s also staunchly opposed to broadly legalizing gay marriage. Carson told an Iowa broadcaster in January that he believes Congress should dismiss federal judges who rule in favor of gay marriage, and he built on that idea again last week at the Conservative Political Action Conference without explicitly referencing gay marriage.

Watch below:

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Notable Replies

  1. So Dr. Carson, if a child of a Conservative, devout family values couple comes out as gay, is that child’s upbringing equal then to prison rape?

  2. Gosh, Uncle Ben! That doesn’t explain Phyllis Schlafly’s gay son!

  3. Let’s lock Ben up for a while with Big Bruce for a cellmate…and see if he chooses to become gay.

  4. I realize this is probably futile, but where’s the evidence for his claim?

    GOP: still making isht up, still not getting called on it.

  5. If ignorance isn’t a choice, then how do you explain Ben Carson?

    (or, you know, fill in the blank with your favorite ignorant conservative)

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