Donald J. Trump today invoked Sharia law as he was telling us how we should perform “extreme vetting” on all immigrants seeking entry into the United States.
The Republican presidential nominee doesn’t appear to be a religious scholar, or a constitutional scholar for that matter.
Well, I know little about Sharia law. I know a little more about the U.S. Constitution, although I certainly am no constitutional scholar.
So I just prefer to add this point: The Sharia law canard has become the No. 1 fear tactic being employed by those who hate Muslims. Moreover, those who invoke the fear of Sharia law ignore — perhaps willfully — some key provisions in the Constitution.
Sharia law is an extreme form of Islam. It’s fundamentally antithetical to mainstream Islam. It condones “honor killings,” and imposes stricter-than-strict rules about how one should follow the Islamic faith.
Could anyone ever impose Sharia law in this country, forcing non-Muslims to adhere to it? Never in a zillion years!
The Constitution prohibits it. Last time I checked, the Constitution is the law of the land. Every federal and state statute enacted at every level of government must adhere to the Constitution. Same with any municipal ordinance or rule. They, too, must be constitutional.
It’s the law, man!
Trump said he wants to keep anyone who would impose Sharia law in the United States. Others have said much the same thing.
The founders of this country set up a multi-tiered system of government, which they expressly declared it to be secular.
The feds sit at the top tier. Then we have states, with laws written by legislatures. Then we have cities and counties. In Texas, counties are governed by state statute. Cities, though, generally have home-rule charters that enable governing councils to enact ordinances and other rules that residents must follow.
Does anyone actually believe it is possible to impose Sharia law at any level of government in the United States of America?
It will not happen. It cannot happen.
