Harris: Separation of church and state 'a lie' RAW STORY

Published: Thursday August 24, 2006 Print This Email This In a lengthy interview with Florida Baptist Witness, struggling U.S. Senate candidate Katherine Harris asserts, among other things, that the separation of church and state is a fallacy. "We have to have the faithful in government and over time," the Witness quotes Harris as saying, "that lie we have been told, the separation of church and state, people have internalized, thinking that they needed to avoid politics and that is so wrong because God is the one who chooses our rulers." Excerpted answers from the interview follow: On civil rights for gays: "Civil rights have to do with individual rights and I don't think they apply to the gay issues. I have not supported gay marriage and I do not support any civil rights actions with regard to homosexuality." When asked if abortion is a moral evil: "Yes. Because it's a life, it's a life. Life begins at conception." Stem cell research: "I'm the only candidate in the primary or general who's voted against embryonic stem cell research and has voted for cord blood research and adult stem cell research. ... There are no successes for embryonic. That is why the private sector is not involved and there is no justification for taking a live embryo and destroying it." Regarding the Florida primary: "Florida is the forerunner state. ...[W]hat happens in Florida sets the trend for what happens nationally. And with this election, if Bill Nelson wins, its going to be a very frightening proposition in 2008 in the presidential elections because whoever wins Florida will win the presidency." The interview in full is available here.



