Santorum: Reinstate 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum said during the Republican presidential debate in Orlando, Fla., earlier on Thursday, Sept. 22, that he would reinstate the ban on openly gay and lesbian servicmembers if elected president.

"What we're doing is playing social experimentation with our military right now, and it's tragic," said Santorum in response to a question from Stephen Hill, a gay soldier stationed in Iraq.

GOProud urged Santorum to apologize to Hill in a statement it released shortly after the debate ended.

“That brave gay soldier is doing something Rick Santorum has never done – put his life on the line to defend our freedoms and our way of life," said the conservative gay organization. "It is telling that Rick Santorum is so blinded by his anti-gay bigotry that he couldn’t even bring himself to thank that gay soldier for his service."

R. Clarke Cooper, executive director of Log Cabin Republicans, also blasted Santorum.

"Santorum's shameful response to the combat soldier's question regarding open service was incoherent and out of touch. America's uniformed leaders support gays and lesbians serving alongside their colleagues with dignity and respect. Santorum's divisive and homophobic remarks do not befit a commander-in-chief." said the Iraq combat veteran who is currently an Army Reserve officer. "Americans want to hear about how our next President is going to cut our national debt, advocate for a confident foreign policy and most importantly help let the private sector thrive to create jobs."

Change.org has also launched a petition that urges Santorum to "immediately apologize" to Hill and "all soldiers that he insulted by insisting they had no place in our armed services."

"'Don't ask, don't tell' is history now, and these brave men and women do not deserve Senator Santorum's disrespect nor his bigotry," reads the petition.

The repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell' became official on Tuesday, Sept. 20.