EDITORIAL: Wasted legislation larger threat than Shari'a law
State Rep. Dave Agema's proposed measure to ban the use of foreign laws in court rulings appears to be a straightforward policy intended to enforce strict interpretation of the Constitution, but it actually works to alienate Muslim Americans.
Agema, R-Grandville, has introduced the bill during a time of rising concern among some Americans over the perceived "threat" Islamic Shari'a law poses to our current system of government.
To insinuate that Islamic religious law is an active threat to American government shows a profound misunderstanding of how a multicultural society functions. As a representative in a state that has a great concentration of Muslims, Agema would do well to treat the local community with respect rather than fear and suspicion.
Agema is using his position and time to address a non-issue. There are no movements to replace our republic with a Muslim theocracy, and any overarching implementation of Shari'a law would be an obvious violation of the Bill of Rights. As the First Amendment reads across the top of Central Michigan Life's Voices page, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
There is no need to re-state the obvious in the form of legislation, and his campaign to do just that is a cynical political attempt to play on the fears of his voters.
The legislation calls to mind a similarly egregious efforts to ban the possession of pornography in prisons. Who cares?
What good does it do for the people in this state who are struggling?
In a state with a collapsed economy, financially strapped schools and crumbling infrastructure, Agema would do well to address the daunting problems obvious to all rather than chase non-existent conspiracies espoused by fringe radio hosts.
