“Nothing in America till white settlers arrived”, Santorum faces backlash over remarks

Former Republican senator and commentator Rick Santorum faced backlash for his speech at Young America’s Foundation’s Standing Up for Faith & Freedom Conference.

“We have Native Americans but, candidly, there isn’t much Native American culture in American culture,” Santorum said.

Even though several estimates and studies suggest that there were many indigenous Americans living in the now U.S. before the arrival of European settlers, he boldly made the claim that there was “nothing” in America till the imperialists arrived.

“They came here, mostly from Europe, and they set up a country that was based on Judeo-Christian principles,” Santorum said. “We came here and created a blank slate. We birthed a nation from nothing,” he continued. “I mean, there was nothing here. I mean, yes, we have Native Americans but candidly there isn’t much Native American culture in American culture. It was born of the people who came here pursuing religious liberty to practice their faith, to live as they ought to live, and have the freedom to do so,” he further added.

After his comments were publicized across various social media platforms, Santorum was quick to assume a politically correct stance and save his image by stating to Salon that “I had no intention of minimizing or in any way devaluing Native American culture.”