Ben Carson has been reeling into damage-control mode after his statements on CNN that equated homosexuality with gay prison sex. In an interview with Sean Hannity, Carson stated that he would refuse to speak about gay rights.

“I simply have decided I’m not going to really talk about that issue anymore,” said Carson. “Every time I’m gaining momentum, the political press says, ‘Let’s talk about gay rights.’ And I’m just not going to fall for that anymore.”

Carson has also issued an apology for his statements on Facebook, saying, “I do not pretend to know how every individual came to their sexual orientation. I regret that my words to express that concept were hurtful and divisive. For that I apologize unreservedly to all that were offended.”

He then went on to try and caveat his apology:

I support human rights and Constitutional protections for gay people, and I have done so for many years. I support civil unions for gay couples, and I have done so for many years. I support the right of individual states to sanction gay marriage, and I support the right of individual states to deny gay marriage in their respective jurisdictions.

I also think that marriage is a religious institution. Religious marriage is an oath before God and congregation. Religious marriage must only be governed by the church. Judges and government must not be allowed to restrict religious beliefs.

You can listen to his interview with Sean Hannity here: