Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) thinks “reparative therapy” for gays works despite the overwhelming evidence that it is nothing more than a cruel hoax foisted upon the world by cranks and crackpots who think being gay is a choice.  This is after he compared being gay to being alcoholic.  (Spoiler alert: it’s not.)

Grilled on this stand on CNBC yesterday, the governor admitted that he had no idea what he was talking about.

Earlier this month, the Texas Republican Party adopted at its convention a policy endorsing “reparative therapy” for gays and lesbians who seek to change sexual orientation through counseling.

Asked if he believes in that, Perry said in a “Squawk Box” interview: “I don’t know. We’ll leave that to the psychologists and the doctors.”

As Steve Benen catalogs, Mr. Perry joins a bunch of Republicans who admit that they’re not a scientist or a doctor but that doesn’t stop them from holding forth on everything from climate change to the age of the Earth.

It’s one thing to admit that you don’t know something and are willing to learn.  It’s entirely something else to be proud of your ignorance.