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Roy Moore, in His Own Words Roy Moore, in His Own Words
(35 minutes later)
Roy S. Moore, who won a special Republican primary runoff for an Alabama Senate seat on Tuesday, is a staunch evangelical Christian, and his often-inflammatory political beliefs are informed by his strongly held religious views.Roy S. Moore, who won a special Republican primary runoff for an Alabama Senate seat on Tuesday, is a staunch evangelical Christian, and his often-inflammatory political beliefs are informed by his strongly held religious views.
He has condemned homosexuality and used offensive language when talking about race, recently referring to Native Americans and Asian-Americans as “reds and yellows.”He has condemned homosexuality and used offensive language when talking about race, recently referring to Native Americans and Asian-Americans as “reds and yellows.”
His insistence on the primacy of religion over American law has twice led him to be taken off the Alabama Supreme Court: once in 2003, for refusing to remove a statue of the Ten Commandments from the courthouse, and again in 2016, when he asked state probate judges to disregard a federal ruling on same-sex marriage.His insistence on the primacy of religion over American law has twice led him to be taken off the Alabama Supreme Court: once in 2003, for refusing to remove a statue of the Ten Commandments from the courthouse, and again in 2016, when he asked state probate judges to disregard a federal ruling on same-sex marriage.
Here are some of the ways that Mr. Moore has described his own views in the past.Here are some of the ways that Mr. Moore has described his own views in the past.
Mr. Moore has long been virulently opposed to gay marriage and has condemned same-sex relations altogether.Mr. Moore has long been virulently opposed to gay marriage and has condemned same-sex relations altogether.
In a 2002 concurring opinion in a case that granted a lesbian custody of her son, he wrote, “Homosexual behavior is a ground for divorce, an act of sexual misconduct punishable as a crime in Alabama, a crime against nature, an inherent evil, and an act so heinous that it defies one’s ability to describe it.”In a 2002 concurring opinion in a case that granted a lesbian custody of her son, he wrote, “Homosexual behavior is a ground for divorce, an act of sexual misconduct punishable as a crime in Alabama, a crime against nature, an inherent evil, and an act so heinous that it defies one’s ability to describe it.”
He added that homosexuality could disqualify parents from having the right to custody.He added that homosexuality could disqualify parents from having the right to custody.
“I write specially to state that the homosexual conduct of a parent — conduct involving a sexual relationship between two persons of the same gender — creates a strong presumption of unfitness that alone is sufficient justification for denying that parent custody of his or her own children or prohibiting the adoption of the children of others,” the opinion read.“I write specially to state that the homosexual conduct of a parent — conduct involving a sexual relationship between two persons of the same gender — creates a strong presumption of unfitness that alone is sufficient justification for denying that parent custody of his or her own children or prohibiting the adoption of the children of others,” the opinion read.
In bemoaning divisions in the country in September, Mr. Moore used a racialized shorthand to refer to Native Americans and Asian-Americans.In bemoaning divisions in the country in September, Mr. Moore used a racialized shorthand to refer to Native Americans and Asian-Americans.
“We have blacks and whites fighting, reds and yellows fighting, Democrats and Republicans fighting, men and women fighting,” he said.“We have blacks and whites fighting, reds and yellows fighting, Democrats and Republicans fighting, men and women fighting,” he said.
“What’s going to unite us? What’s going to bring us back together? A president? A Congress? No. It’s going to be God.”“What’s going to unite us? What’s going to bring us back together? A president? A Congress? No. It’s going to be God.”
During an interview with Vox in August, Mr. Moore incorrectly asserted that Sharia law had already taken hold in some parts of the United States.During an interview with Vox in August, Mr. Moore incorrectly asserted that Sharia law had already taken hold in some parts of the United States.
“There are communities under Sharia law right now in our country,” he told an interviewer. “Up in Illinois. Christian communities; I don’t know if they may be Muslim communities.”“There are communities under Sharia law right now in our country,” he told an interviewer. “Up in Illinois. Christian communities; I don’t know if they may be Muslim communities.”
Pressed to name the specific communities, Mr. Moore said that they were in “Illinois, Indiana — up there. I don’t know.”Pressed to name the specific communities, Mr. Moore said that they were in “Illinois, Indiana — up there. I don’t know.”
When Mr. Moore said in an interview with The Guardian that he felt the United States was wrong to promote same-sex marriage, he was told that his viewpoint put him in line with the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin.When Mr. Moore said in an interview with The Guardian that he felt the United States was wrong to promote same-sex marriage, he was told that his viewpoint put him in line with the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin.
“Well, maybe Putin is right,” he replied, adding, “Maybe he’s more akin to me than I know.”“Well, maybe Putin is right,” he replied, adding, “Maybe he’s more akin to me than I know.”
In a July radio interview, Mr. Moore expressed a lack of familiarity with contemporary immigration issues, saying that he did not know what the Dreamer program was.In a July radio interview, Mr. Moore expressed a lack of familiarity with contemporary immigration issues, saying that he did not know what the Dreamer program was.
He has since studied up, and during a September debate attacked Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, calling the program a “mere memo” that violated the law.He has since studied up, and during a September debate attacked Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, calling the program a “mere memo” that violated the law.
In an earlier debate, he expressed strong support for President Trump’s views on immigration.In an earlier debate, he expressed strong support for President Trump’s views on immigration.
“I think everyone who is here illegally should be vetted to see if they should stay here,” he said. “I think those coming across the border are the bigger problem right now. Congress has to address why can’t we close our borders.“I think everyone who is here illegally should be vetted to see if they should stay here,” he said. “I think those coming across the border are the bigger problem right now. Congress has to address why can’t we close our borders.
“We have got to support the president’s efforts to stop this,” he added. “If it takes a wall, I say build a wall.”“We have got to support the president’s efforts to stop this,” he added. “If it takes a wall, I say build a wall.”
Mr. Moore denies the existence of evolution.Mr. Moore denies the existence of evolution.
“There is no such thing as evolution,” he told The Washington Post this month. “That we came from a snake? No, I don’t believe that.”“There is no such thing as evolution,” he told The Washington Post this month. “That we came from a snake? No, I don’t believe that.”
During a rally earlier this month, Mr. Moore expressed his strong support for the Second Amendment, and delighted a crowd by taking a small gun out of his pocket.During a rally earlier this month, Mr. Moore expressed his strong support for the Second Amendment, and delighted a crowd by taking a small gun out of his pocket.
“Guns don’t kill; people kill,” he said. “Cars kill. Are we going to get rid of our cars? Are we going to get rid of our knives? No. We have to bring morality back to our country.”“Guns don’t kill; people kill,” he said. “Cars kill. Are we going to get rid of our cars? Are we going to get rid of our knives? No. We have to bring morality back to our country.”
Mr. Moore is likely to be a hard-liner on the subject of health care. In an appearance on Fox Wednesday, he called the Graham-Cassidy plan “socialized medicine” and said that he would not have supported it. “We promised to repeal Obama Care and we should repeal it.” Mr. Moore is likely to be a hard-liner on the subject of health care. In an appearance on Fox News on Wednesday, he called the Graham-Cassidy plan “socialized medicine” and said that he would not have supported it. “We promised to repeal Obamacare and we should repeal it.”
Despite running against a candidate who had extensive establishment support and was helped by a super PAC aligned with Mitch McConnell, the U.S. Senate majority leader, Mr. Moore told Fox News that he was open to working with Mr. McConnell. Despite running against a candidate who had extensive establishment support and was helped by a super PAC aligned with Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, Mr. Moore told Fox News that he was open to working with Mr. McConnell.
“As long as he stands for a Conservative agenda and what we promised people as Republicans, I’ll work with anyone,” he said.“As long as he stands for a Conservative agenda and what we promised people as Republicans, I’ll work with anyone,” he said.
Mr. Moore has often expressed his views in verse. A 2007 poem titled “America the Beautiful” concisely stated his positions on abortion and drugs.Mr. Moore has often expressed his views in verse. A 2007 poem titled “America the Beautiful” concisely stated his positions on abortion and drugs.