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| Ben Carson withdraws as Johns Hopkins graduation speaker | Ben Carson withdraws as Johns Hopkins graduation speaker |
| (4 months later) | |
| A neurosurgeon touted as a possible outsider Republican presidential candidate has withdrawn as graduation speaker at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine amid a controversy over comments he made about same-sex marriage. | A neurosurgeon touted as a possible outsider Republican presidential candidate has withdrawn as graduation speaker at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine amid a controversy over comments he made about same-sex marriage. |
| Benjamin Carson, director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins, wrote a letter to the school's dean Tuesday withdrawing from the ceremony. | Benjamin Carson, director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins, wrote a letter to the school's dean Tuesday withdrawing from the ceremony. |
| "Given all the national media surrounding my statements as to my belief in traditional marriage, I believe it would be in the best interest of the students for me to voluntarily withdraw as your commencement speaker this year," Carson wrote in the letter, first quoted in the Baltimore Sun. | "Given all the national media surrounding my statements as to my belief in traditional marriage, I believe it would be in the best interest of the students for me to voluntarily withdraw as your commencement speaker this year," Carson wrote in the letter, first quoted in the Baltimore Sun. |
| Carson also cancelled his participation in a diploma ceremony at the university's school of education. | Carson also cancelled his participation in a diploma ceremony at the university's school of education. |
| Johns Hopkins students circulated a petition opposing Carson's appearance at their graduation after comments he made in a 26 March appearance on Sean Hannity's talk show on Fox News. | Johns Hopkins students circulated a petition opposing Carson's appearance at their graduation after comments he made in a 26 March appearance on Sean Hannity's talk show on Fox News. |
| "Marriage is between a man and a woman," Carson told Hannity. "No group, be they 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." | "Marriage is between a man and a woman," Carson told Hannity. "No group, be they 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." |
| Nambla, the North American Man-Boy Love Association, was a notorious pedophilia advocacy group that is now largely defunct. | Nambla, the North American Man-Boy Love Association, was a notorious pedophilia advocacy group that is now largely defunct. |
| "Tension now exists in our community because hurtful, offensive language was used by our colleague, Dr Ben Carson, when conveying a personal opinion," the medical school dean, Paul B Rothman, wrote in an open letter after the interview. "Dr Carson's comments are inconsistent with the culture of our institution." | "Tension now exists in our community because hurtful, offensive language was used by our colleague, Dr Ben Carson, when conveying a personal opinion," the medical school dean, Paul B Rothman, wrote in an open letter after the interview. "Dr Carson's comments are inconsistent with the culture of our institution." |
| An earlier expression of regret by Carson, in which he offered "a most sincere and heartfelt apology" to the Johns Hopkins community, failed to quiet opposition to his appearance as featured graduation speaker. | An earlier expression of regret by Carson, in which he offered "a most sincere and heartfelt apology" to the Johns Hopkins community, failed to quiet opposition to his appearance as featured graduation speaker. |
| Carson became a Republican darling for criticizing President Barack Obama's health care law to the president's face in a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast in February. On 8 February the Wall Street Journal published an editorial titled "Ben Carson for President." | Carson became a Republican darling for criticizing President Barack Obama's health care law to the president's face in a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast in February. On 8 February the Wall Street Journal published an editorial titled "Ben Carson for President." |
| "The Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon may not be politically correct," the editorial said, "but he's closer to correct than we've heard in years." | "The Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon may not be politically correct," the editorial said, "but he's closer to correct than we've heard in years." |
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