The state of South Carolina has a shockingly huge Muslim population — 7,000! That’s a whopping 0.2% of its entire population! Not to fear, though; in response to the Muslims’ evil demographic juggernaut, the wise government of the land south of Carowinds is taking steps. The state is now one step closer to enacting a law that boldly states the obvious: “We practice and enforce our own laws here, not those of other countries.” With that kind of deep insight at work, it’s just a matter of time before the geniuses in Columbia declare that water is completely, unreservedly wet. Yep, they’re at it again — time for another episode of “Sharia Law Paranoia,” one of the far right’s favorite delusional pastimes.
As we wrote in January, “Republican conservatives are running more state houses, which means we can look forward to new laws specially tailored to the right’s peculiar collection of paranoid notions” (see “Voter IDs” in N.C.) In that kind of atmosphere, South Carolina had to strike quickly in order to keep its reputation for having one of the nation’s strangest legislatures. So on Tuesday, the S.C. Senate passed a resolution calling on S.C. courts to enforce American laws rather than sharia law derived from Islam. And yesterday, the bill we wrote about earlier was passed out of subcommittee, continuing its journey toward the desk of Gov. Nikki Haley.
This whole issue is so absurd, and is being peddled by such a collection of ethnocentric knotheads, it’s hard at times to take it seriously. Here’s the richest part of the S.C. debate: The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Michael Fair of Greenville, says he introduced it because, “We’re big on religious freedom” and “civil law and criminal law … are not religious law.” This is coming, mind you, from a state that imposes Christian religious standards by restricting Sunday shopping. “Blue laws” still mandate that S.C. non-essential businesses not operate before 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, because lawmakers think South Carolinians should be in church instead of out buying Kit Kats or whatever. In other words, Sen. Fair’s picture of South Carolina as a progressive land that’s just trying to protect everyone from religion-based laws is pure bullshit. The fact is that Fair and his cohorts are fear-mongering for the sake of their Christian Right supporters, a group that, ironically, would love nothing better than to turn the U.S. into a fundamentalist Protestant theocracy.
This article appears in Apr 5-11, 2011.
So what is your suggestion ?? To wait till there is 70,000 muslims in SC like there are illegal immigrants in NC. If it were up to you liberals we would all be cloaked and chanting Alah !! You know why there are more Republican Conservatives running state houses ?? Because they get it. Too bad your dying breed doesnt.
so should SC wait till there are 70,000 muslims like there their are illegal immigrants in NC bolstering up the democratic votes ??? You know why there are more Republicans running state houses now ? Because they get it. Too bad you liberals (a dying breed) does not
Bob, I hope you’re just trolling, but if not, tell me why on earth anybody would need a law to state that they won’t follow another law that doesn’t exist? Should we next pass a law that says we won’t start driving on the left side of the road? Are you really comfortable with paying your elected officials to waste this much time discussing redundant legislation for the sole purpose of pandering to xenophobes?
Republicans are running state houses right now because of the sad, predictable seesaw nature of American politics, and widespread fear-mongering and riling up of the more gullible (and *cough* less grammatically proficient) elements of the population.
I’m sure Mr. Bob would prefer for all the women to be naked..perv!
If this (Muslim) women does not want to show all of her goodies.. so what! For those who choose to show it, go for it.. People please get over yourself. In the 1920’s women wore bathing suits that covered their entire body. Oh yah and for the person who feels that Muslims are like illegal immigrants please start with educating yourself. Being Muslim does not mean you are an illegal immigrant. A majority of muslims are Americans.
I’m an American reverted Muslim. I completely understand what Bob is saying here. The constitution of our country is clear. Religion does not dictate the law, and the law does not dictate the religion. There is a very clear “separation of church and state” and it keeps us all from mixing politics and religion. I would wager that the girl in the bikini with her kids in the pool is probably admiring the Muslim woman for keeping herself covered. I mean, she has a little boy in the pool, would she prefer some girl in a g-string and pasties to walk by her young son, or a woman fully covered? Think about that. And not only that but her husband is probably near by. So would she prefer that g-stringed girl to be flaunting her body for all the men including her husband to see, or would she prefer that this woman fully covered be there, giving no free gawk pass to her husband. Come on people, think reality. This country is going down the drain because our government concerns itself more with foreign issues than it does it’s own wellbeing and that of it’s citizens. There are no jobs, people’s social securities are being sucked up just to survive, we are over taxed, underpaid and the jerks with the fancy suits and Mercedes are living a high life while NOT DOING THEIR JOBS of keeping our country in good order. Time to take a nice big whiff of reality! We need a new government PERIOD! Just like Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and the rest. No more corrupt politicians making excuses why they can’t make the right decisions for their own people!!
Wow, Shannon, that’s some of the best circular thinking I’ve ever read. In fact, your comment should be a required cut-and-save example of what it’s like inside the head of someone who can’t think logically about one issue at a time and gets things all jumbled up and goes on and on about one thing and then another and then back to something else, and where was I?
Thanks again for the entertainment. Now, please take those meds and lie down.
Our Rick Kenney offers a perfect example of what’s wrong with many people today:
An absurd obsession of finding ways to ridicule somone for their expressed views rather then choose to debate it intelligently.
All non-muslims are infidels.
Muslims kill infidels.
What the Koran says about the infidels:-
•Slay the unbelievers wherever you find them(2:191)
•Make war on the infidels living in your neighboorhood (9:123)
•When opportunity arises, kill the infidels wherever you catch them (9:5)
•Kill the Jews and the Christians if they do not convert to Islam or refuse to pay Jizya tax (9:29)
•Any religion other than Islam is not acceptable (3:85)
•The Jews and the Christians are perverts; fight them (9:30)
•Maim and crucify the infidels if they criticise Islam. (5:33)
•The infidels are unclean; do not let them into a mosque (9:28)
•Punish the unbelievers with garments of fire, hooked iron rods, boiling water; melt their skin and bellies
(22:19)
Duh
John Grooms it is better to be prepared and then not worry about sharia coming into our SC state. It’s a better position if you ask me. I have all the faith one can have in my American judicial system, as much as one can have these days. When you report, would you mind keeping your opinion to yourself and just report the news. Would have been a better article if you hadn’t.
Gads, John, how about an attempt at just reporting–without lacing it with your own opinion expressed as childish insults. Personally, I think the state of SC is smart to do these things to safeguard against what all Americans are daily being told will happen. And told by influential imams and clerics (at least we’re told they are influential). Call me paranoid, but when a lot of the members of a group swear they’re going to kill me, I start locking my doors at night. That’s common sense; something of which you seem in short supply.
Did you guys notice that this article was written 4 years ago?
Somebody must remind them of the Bloody GOD Damn American civil war! That Sharia law aka Vigilante laws will not be allowed and is illegal according to Federal Laws! If you want Muslim laws then you should move to Syria!
That one female wearing all those clothes in the pool! It is an option. they wear the clothes to cover the beating marks on their bodies from their husband, lover, father, Brothers, uncles, Daddy, male friends, and grandfathers
The one thing all religions share in common: Each believes itself to be the one true religion and all the others are deluded and must be converted or at least subjugated.