No Sharia for Me

    In an earlier post I wrote that immigrants should be welcome, provided they are willing to accept American values and integrate peacefully and productively. Can we say honestly that all the Muslims who are already here have met those conditions? Obviously not, judging by the number of radical cells responsible for the growing incidents of jihadist terrorism.

    One reason Muslims have great difficulty in assimilating in our society is Sharia Law. Sharia is mandated by the Koran and as such is the only law permitted by Islamic theocracies. It is only natural then for devout Muslims who immigrate from those countries to prefer Sharia to “foreign” law, because it is part of their religion.

    Some have modified their beliefs and abandoned Sharia, but many have not. A poll commissioned by the Center for Security Policy in Washington, D.C., reveals that 51% of Muslims in America would prefer to be governed by Sharia; 39% say they should not be subject to American courts; one-fifth say that violence would be justified in making Sharia the law of the land. This is cause for concern, considering, among other things, Sharia's extreme punishments for offenses like adultery, homosexuality, theft, and blasphemy.

    In France, the U.K., and other countries with large Muslim communities, governments have permitted Muslim enclaves to be ruled by Sharia. In some of those enclaves police officers are not even permitted to enter. This must not happen here. North Carolina and several other states have passed laws preventing Sharia from being used as a defense in a court of law. That's a start. Unfortunately, some states permit underground Sharia courts to rule in Muslim communities. This can only lead to law enforcement chaos and the refusal of Muslims to accept established legal authority.

    We must insist that immigrants to America show a desire to become Americans in every sense of the word. They are free to practice their religion and to maintain their customs and social traditions. But they must respect American values and principles, and that starts with accepting our Constitutional system of government and obeying our laws.