Did a cell phone just go off during the interview??
The people ought to be involved in this (marriage) decision...and not courts! Yeah yeah yeah!
I heard that too.I thought it was mine!
TV Channel 37 Thu Aug 12 20:44:29 2004
me. A lot of times my faith comes up because i thank people for their prayers, and i meet people from all religions, but no, i think the church ought to be separate from the state and the state separate from the church. I don't see how you can separate your faith as a person. It's a part of my life.
>> I think he's right. Whatever anyone's faith is is a part of their life, but the great thing about our country is we have the right to worship if we want to, however we want to, or not to worship, and that's, you know, as we look around the world right now, that's one of our most important freedoms, and you know, i know george knows that. I think that's the whole point of the separation of church and state, but it's also, you know, our right.
>> Larry: But you don't see this as a christianity against the world?
>> No, of course not. I see it as people who love freedom against those who preven others from being free, and i say it a lot when asked about religion, the greatest thing about america is you can practice your faith or have no faith at all and you're equally an american. If you choose, if you believe in the almighty, you're equally on american, if you're a jew, christian or muslim or hindu or whatever. It is one of the great traits and traditions of our country that people can worship the way you see fit. That is not the case in parts of the world, where take afghanistan. Not only could you not worship freely, but if you didn't worship according to the taliban you were whipped publicly, for example, if you were a woman, if you didn't, if you weren't in lockstep with these dictators, and tyrants, that you would be brutallized, and america stands in stark contrast to that. We're the opposite end of that spectrum.
>> Larry: The gay issue.
>> Yeah.
>> Larry: There are many gays in your party.
>> Sure.
>> Larry: Many gays in the democratic party, many gays in america. You want a constitutional amendment to protect heterosexual marriage.
>> Yes, i do.
>> Larry: Why, why do you need an amendment?
>> Because I'm worried that the laws on the books that basically define marriage as between a man -- not basically, do define marriage between a man and a woman will be ruled unconstitutional and then judges will make the decision as to the definition of marriage, and i think it's too an important a matter for judges to make that decision and one way to guarantee that traditional marriage is defined as between a man or woman is through the constitutional process.
>> Larry: What about the union of gays?
>> That's up to states. If the states choose to do that, in other words, if they want to provide legal protections for gays, that's great. That's fine, but i do not want to change the definition of marriage. I don't think our country should from the traditional definition of marriage as between a man or a woman. The other thing about the constitutional process, we will t will get states involved. In other words, the people ought to be involved in this decision. That's why I took the stand.
>> Larry: You knew there'd be a lot of -- you don't amend easily.
>> That's right. It's a debate.
>> Absolutely. This is an important debate, larry, and a debate that the people need to be involved with and not courts. That's what you're beginning to see. There's a decision here in california, it was a court decision. In other words, it's the -- and it ruled that marriages in san francisco were illegal according to california law, but the point is that this ought to be decided by people, and i just happen to believe and know that if you believe that traditional marriage ought to be the law of the land, that the way to guarantee that is through the constitutional apro cess. I want to say something about the debate, a debate that must be conducted with the greatest respect for people, and in n my judgment, i think our society is great because people are able to live their lifestyles as they choose or as they're oriented.
>> Larry: Gay people would say they want the benefits of a marriage.
>> You can do that through the legal process. People said to me, if you're gay you can't inherit and don't get the exception from income tax. My answer to that is get rid of the inheritance tax forever, the death tax which I'm trying to do and there are ways to make sure gays have got rights, and you can do so in the law.
>> Larry: Back with our remaining moments.