A state senator from Snowflake is explaining — but not apologizing for — comments she made during a vote.
On Tuesday Sylvia Allen was explaining why she supports legislation allowing people with permits to carry concealed weapons to bring them into public buildings. That led to comments about the "horrible erosion of the soul of America."
Alley said that's not because of guns but because of reducing the role of religion in society.
"Probably we should be debating a bill requiring every American to attend a church of their choice on Sunday to see if we can get back to having a moral rebirth," she said.
But Allen said that would never be allowed.
By Wednesday the comments had gone viral and Allen, after dodging reporters, felt compelled to take to the Senate floor to explain herself.
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She spoke of a simpler time growing up in the 1950s.
"It was a different time. People prayed. People went to church. I remember on Sunday the stores were closed. You didn't go to stores because they weren't open," she said.
Nor was she backing away from her comments about the moral breakdown of the country, decrying the drug revolution, the sexual revolution and the legalization of abortion.
"But the biggest thing is, religion was kicked out of our public places, out of our schools, Ten Commandments were no longer allowed in public, monuments of Ten Commandments. Things have changed," she said.
But Allen said people were making too much of her Tuesday comments and even her views that people should go to church on Sundays.
"It's just a remark. A flippant remark," Allen said. "But one in which I've always said America's problem is not erosion of the soil. It's erosion of the soul."
