“No, I do not believe those should be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance. And I don’t believe 'In God We Trust’ should be removed from public structures and buildings. And I don’t know if you saw Dr. Ahmed’s responses, but what led me to vote in the affirmative in the rules committee is that I believe he answered the questions satisfactorily, in line with where I am on those things.”
Do you believe homosexual marriage should be permitted in Florida?
“No, I don’t believe it should be permitted. I don’t believe it’s right. ... That doesn’t mean you hate someone who is doing it. That’s not what I’m advocating. But it’s not something that needs to be perpetuated in our country. It’s not good. It’s not right.”
Do you believe prayer is acceptable in a public building?
“Absolutely. Our nation was founded on Christian principles. It’s all intertwined in our founding documents to where there was recognition of the creator and of Judeo-Christian beliefs. Those are foundational in the laws we have.
“People continue to bring it up, and I still can’t find something lending to the separation of church and state in the Constitution. So that kind of throws me for a loop sometimes. Some base it on what Thomas Jefferson might have written somewhere else, but I still have a disagreement on that.
“It’s intertwined in the founding of the country and the laws that we have, that we need to acknowledge God and we need to uphold what honors him. And the public building or the public square, I couldn’t fathom trying to restrict the ability of the public to do that. We shouldn’t keep trying to push God out of country and out of our government.”
Do you believe Muslims should be able to hold public office in Florida? Some of those who have criticized your questions have wondered if that’s what you were getting at ...
“That wasn’t the intention of the questions.”
OK, but do you believe Muslims should be able to hold a public office in Florida?
“I would have to think about that. I would have to think about that. What kind of office? An elected office? Would you consider the human rights commission to be a public office?”
Just in general, do you believe Muslims should be able to hold any public office in Florida?
“I don’t know.”
Do you think homosexuals should be able to hold a public office in Florida?
“I would prefer they did not.”
When, and for what reasons, is it acceptable to alter the Pledge of Allegiance?
“Your question is a little confusing.”
Well, “under God” was not in the pledge originally. So when and for what reasons do you believe it is acceptable to change the pledge?
“I don’t believe it’s acceptable to change it, especially those two words.”
(Note: the Pledge of Allegiance has been changed four times since it was written, most recently with the addition of the words “under God” in 1954.)
Do you believe all kinds of prayers are acceptable in public buildings? If not, which prayers are acceptable?
“The scripture teaches that unless one prays in the name of Jesus Christ, and since he is our only way to the Father, that that is how one should pray. And that is what I believe.”
Do you believe you can be a good American and not be Christian?
“Yes, I believe you can be a good American and not be Christian.”
Do you believe America has become too secular?
“Yes.”
After Sept. 11, some said the attacks were partly because of this. Because America had become too secular and too sinful, God had lifted a “veil of protection” from our country. Do you believe that?
“I would say that when I read Romans Chapter 1, I see striking resemblances between where Rome was just prior to its fall in comparison to where America is today. There are striking similarities in what we allow in our societies. Rome did not fall from an outside attack, whether it was military or otherwise. It fell from within because it was morally bankrupt.
“And I believe we have been treading in that area for a while and the more that we do not embrace that which honors the Lord, we shouldn’t be surprised if the blessings do not continue on our land ...
“Of course a lot of folks will say it’s not because of that, that you can’t control the stock market, you can’t control finances. There’s storms, earthquakes, pestilences, what have you. But everything is for a reason.”
Article VI, Section 3 of the Constitution says “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any public office or public trust under the United States.” What do you believe this means?
“I think it means what it says. You don’t have a religious test or qualification to seek a public office.”
Do you believe Parvez Ahmed should be appointed to the human rights commission?
“I supported the nomination on April 5. Since that time, I have been inundated with tons of e-mails and calls and have gotten some documents that are outside of just 'oh, please don’t vote,’ or 'please do vote’ for Dr. Ahmed. It has given me cause to have reasonable doubt because of some of the issues that have been raised. I do have some more questions that will be asked Monday in the rules committee. I’m weighing right now what I should do. But I’m very concerned. I will put it that way.”
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