A funny thing happened on the way to sanity.
Last week in Austin, our House of Representatives took up HB 562, commonly known as ALAC (American Law for American Courts). The law states that Texans’ individual, Constitutional rights will not be superseded by any foreign law. Those of you living under rocks for the past decade or so might ask the question, “Why on earth would anyone think we need such a law? And when is Bruce Jenner having his sex change operation already?”
The answer is two-fold. One: HB 562 acts as a pre-emptive strike against foreign law being used in American courts. Nine states (Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Washington) have already beat Texas to the punch and have passed similar statutes. The language of the Texas bill is simple: ALAC does not discriminate against a single religion, but in essence places the Islamic practice of Sharia Law on notice that we are NOT in the mood. If any religion attempts to thwart American sovereignty, especially in regards to family law and laws that discriminate against women and children, they will have no standing in American courts.
The second reason ALAC is necessary is because Sharia Law has indeed been seeping into American culture and courts. The ALAC Act is not simply about Sharia and other foreign laws, but also “transnationalism—or the documented creep of foreign and anti-public policy laws being recognized by state and federal courts. More, shariah has already entered into the legal systems of Western Europe, including 85 shariah courts operating openly with the full authority of law in the United Kingdom. There are numerous cases in which shariah doctrines have been invoked in the US. The Center for Security Policy’s recent study found 50 legal cases across 23 states, all published appellate cases, where shariah was either relevant or highly relevant to the arguments or outcome of the case.” (Frequently Asked Questions about ALAC : https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4IFplJvtUEnWm9Fc1BaRWVqUzg/view)
In essence, Sharia Law is already upon us.
For those who need a primer on some of the practices of Sharia Law, let me outline a few punishments and dictates that Sharia imposes. While other legal codes deal primarily with public behavior, Sharia law covers public behavior, private behavior and private beliefs.
Under Sharia, theft is punishable by amputation of the hand. Criticizing any part of the Koran, Muhammed, or denial of Allah is punishable by death. A Muslim who leaves Islam can be executed as punishment. A non-Muslim who leads a Muslim away from Islam can be executed. A man can marry an INFANT GIRL and can consummate the marriage when she is NINE YEARS OLD. (Islam’s prophet Muhammed married Aisha at six years old and consummated the marriage when she was nine.) Girls’ clitorises should be cut to deny a female any sexual gratification (genital mutilation). A woman can have one husband, but a man can have up to four wives. A man can beat his wife for insubordination. Testimonies of four male witnesses are required to prove rape against a woman. A woman who has been raped cannot testify against her rapists in court. A woman’s testimony in court carries half the weight of a man’s. Women cannot speak to a man who is not her husband or a relative. A woman cannot drive a car.
The list goes on.
But: here’s the one that really gets the hairs on my neck standing up: Muslims should engage in Taqivya and lie to non-Muslims to advance Islam. Anytime–for any reason. Paying attention yet?
Now, back to Austin.
ACT! for Houston, the Houston chapter of ACT! for America, testified at the hearing about these matters and why the ALAC law is important to act as a pre-emptive strike should Sharia Law start nosing its way further in our courts. Naturally, CAIR Texas (Council for American and Islamic Relations) also testified. Susan Hewett Watts, director of ACT! for Houston, said to me in an email that “The opponents, many of them associated with CAIR, all said much the same thing–this bill oppresses Muslims, hurts Muslims, makes Muslims feel like ‘the other’, infringes on their 1st amendment rights, etc. I was very disappointed that the committee members did not question the Muslim opponents to the bill. It would have been enlightening to hear just exactly how this bill would cause them harm. (It wouldn’t.) The bill states that foreign law may not be used if it conflicts with US law. Very simple.”
Susan is right. It is very simple, and anyone paying attention to what is occurring around the world should be alarmed that any member of our Texas House of Representatives or Senate would have a problem with this very straightforward law that primarily protects the rights of women and children against oppressive, medieval practices.
Ah, but the plot thickens.
It turns out that two of ALAC’s biggest supporters, Republican Representatives Dan Flynn (Canton) and Jeff Leach (Plano) are getting pushback from a few of their colleagues, including, surprisingly, a fellow Republican Representative named Travis Clardy (Nacogdoches). When it was his turn on the mic, Clardy made the following statement (via Texas Observer by Kelsey Jukam Wednesday, March 25, 2015) “The buzzword everyone’s talking about is the use of Shariah law in Texas courts,” Clardy said. “I don’t know every judge in Texas, but I know a lot of them, and I have no fear or concern that the judges that I know and that I observe doing that in lieu of or in place of the federal constitution or the state constitution.”
Et tu, Clardy?
It’s bad enough (but typical) when Democrats pooh-pooh the possibility of creeping Sharia, but one of our own? I suppose his statement will put him in good stead with the unindicted co-conspirator terrorist organization CAIR, but probably not so much with his constituents. Perhaps it’s time we sent Rep. Clardy a message?
Patriots, you know what to do.
Rep. Travis Clardy: (512) 463-0592 / http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=11
