Oklahoma House Bill 1060 is on the way to Governor Fallin’s desk to await her signature. This measure would prohibit the application of foreign laws when doing so would violate the state or U.S. constitutions. Business entities were given an exemption and may subject themselves to foreign law if they so choose.This bill by State Rep. Sally Kern is a replacement for State Question 755, which was struck down by a federal court for singling out Sharia Law. SQ755 was passed by voters in November 2010 with 70 percent voting for passage. Kern said, “Our intent with this bill is to use language similar to that of legislation in Tennessee, Kansas, Arizona and Louisiana, all of which passed without any court challenges. Voters approved the state question by a margin of 70 percent. If Gov. Mary Fallin signs this bill into law, she will be following the overwhelming will of the people of Oklahoma.”
HB 1060 doesn’t specifically mention Sharia Law or any other specific foreign law. And yet it is coming under fire from CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, who have called on Muslims and others to ask Gov. Fallin to veto the bill. They claim HB 1060 is intended to attack the religious principles of Islam.
In a statement, CAIR said, “By legislating against Muslims, HB 1060 violates the most basic premise of the First Amendment’s religious liberty protections: that the government maintain neutrality regarding the faiths of all Oklahomans.”
I have a news flash for the people at CAIR and others opposing this bill. This is the United States; not some other country. Our laws should reign supreme and not be tossed aside if a judge wants to apply a foreign law that was not passed or signed by any elected American. It’s important to note that the bill only prevents the application of a foreign law when doing so would violate either the state or U.S. constitution.
It’s no secret that this bill, without specifically mentioning Sharia Law, is designed to prevent its application here in Oklahoma. If Sharia Law is what the opponents of HB 1060 are wanting, there are countries with Sharia Law to which they could move.
The opponents of HB 1060 have argued that there is not a single instance of Sharia Law being applied in Oklahoma courts and that the bill is therefore unnecessary. Being from Oklahoma I have heard all my life that you don’t close the barn door after the horse is gone. Before Sharia gets a foothold here we would be well advised to shut it down. Just ask the people in the United Kingdom what they think of Sharia Law. Sharia has become part of their society, with parts of the UK having Sharia courts operating in mosques, cafes and muslim schools.
The Islamic Sharia Council of Britain believes a woman’s word is worth only half of a man’s, men should be allowed to beat and rape their wives and that divorce is the right of a man but not a woman unless she obtains male permission. Sharia Law in Britain sanctions the rape of thousands of young girls under the guise of “marriage.” The Sunday Times did an undercover investigation to expose this horror.
Do we want this here? Does CAIR want wife beating and child rape in Oklahoma? If not, then they should state which specific international laws they want to be applied in Oklahoma courts. I would also ask them if they believe an Oklahoman who moves to any other country would be successful in arguing that they be allowed to live in that country under Oklahoma law instead of the laws of their country of residence.
I am sure Governor Fallin will be signing this bill into law over the objections of CAIR and their supporters. How appropriate since, under Sharia Law, women are mere property and are certainly not allowed to hold an elected office.
Update: Governor Fallin signed this legislation into law on April 18, 2013.
I am sure Governor Fallin will sign HB 1060 and you are right; it is fitting that a woman does this.
You raise a very good point about an Oklahoman moving to another country and still wanting to live under Oklahoma law. That’s just not how things work, yet the proponents of Sharia Law seem to want to force us to accept their law, regardless.
I read an article on the Newsok.com website about this and it astounded me to see all the negative comments about this bill from fellow Oklahomans. The majority seemed to be of the opinion that anything Christians favor is bad and anything the Republican controlled legislature does is bad. And for Sally Kern to do something, well you might as well just wait for the hateful comments to start pouring in. If Sharia law ever does get a foothold here I wonder if those people will change their tune when they see what it really is about. Probably not.