The Vindication of Rick Santorum (cont.)–Updated
January 21st, 2015




Remember that interview with the guy who loves horses? (Not in the Ann Romney way.)

Let’s add this interview, with an 18-year-old girl who’s “dating” her dad. No, really.

Sorry–did I say “dating”? I meant “engaged to”:

How many people know about it?
Everyone on my mom’s side of the family sees us as father and daughter. Those who know that he’s my dad, and that we are engaged, include my father’s parents (they can see we are happy together and they can’t wait for us to have babies — they treat us just like any other couple), the woman we live with, and my best friend.

You’re engaged?
I’m planning on a full-on wedding but it won’t be legally registered. And personally, I don’t believe you need a piece of paper to prove that you want to be with the person you love. When you get married, you are signing part of yourself over to somebody. We’ll tell everybody that we got our marriage license, but they don’t have to see it. One of our friends will act as the celebrant.

But don’t worry–changing one foundational part of the culture couldn’t possibly alter others.

Update: You must–must!–read this extra-special, bonus incest confession. Courtesy of Galley Friend A.K.

Be sure to read all the way to the end. Don’t bail on it early. I promise.

 



  1. Galley Wife January 22, 2015 at 9:02 am

    I don’t know which part makes me more sad:

    How do you manage to hide it from your mom? Is it difficult to keep it a secret?

    She doesn’t live in the same town as us and we visit her, together, a couple of times a month. Occasionally we slip up and call each other “babe” or other goofy little names. She acts like there’s something up but she doesn’t know what the hell it is. We recently got tattoos together. Mine says, “I love my peanut butter,” because I call him my peanut butter. His says, “I love my jelly,” because that’s what he calls me. What father and daughter do you know who have names for each other and tattoos like that?”

    Or this:

    Do you worry about the potential genetic problems associated with having kids with your biological father?
    Nope. I wouldn’t risk having a kid if I thought it would be harmful. I’ve done my research. Everybody thinks that kids born in incestuous relationships will definitely have genetic problems, but that’s not true. That happens when there’s years of inbreeding, like with the royal family. Incest has been around as long as humans have. Everybody just needs to deal with it as long as nobody is getting hurt or getting pressured or forced.

    Or this:

    Since you grew up without him and didn’t know where he was for such a long time, do you worry that if you broke up you’d lose both your fiancé and your father?
    We’ve had that talk, and I do have abandonment issues. For example, he has to walk away when we have arguments and once he walked outside and I told him, Please don’t go outside because the last time someone had an argument in my household and walked away they never came back. (That was one of my stepfathers.) He’s promised that if either of us decides the relationship can’t work he still wants to be there as my dad.

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  3. RK January 22, 2015 at 2:18 pm

    “We plan to move to New Jersey where we can be safe under the law, since adult incest isn’t illegal there, and once I’m there I’ll tell everyone.”
    I’m seeing a Christie opposition research opportunity here…

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  5. Anonymous Mike January 22, 2015 at 2:57 pm

    How did this become a vindication of Rick Santorum?

    I mean come on, anyone who watched School House Rock as a kid saw this coming a long time ago

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  7. Moe Lane » This may be the most provocative thing you will read today. January 22, 2015 at 9:29 pm

    […] Jonathan Last and Ed […]

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  9. Churchill February 10, 2015 at 9:08 pm

    I was reminded by this post when reading New York mocking Judge Moore suggesting that gay marriage will lead to some slippery slope- http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/02/judge-blocking-gay-marriage-worried-about-incest.html

    It is nice how New York is able to be both on the leading edge of normalizing while mocking those who suggest it might happen. Moore does not exactly speak to my concerns but reading New York frequently makes me wonder if he is not onto something

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