What does it mean to be independent? People are independent when they can provide for themselves; you know, pay their own way, cook their own food and provide their own shelter.
When does a nation become independent? America had a “Declaration of Independence” in 1776; every year we celebrate that independence with parades, speeches and barbeques. We separated ourselves from English rule by declaring that independence; we said we are no longer obligated to follow British laws and edicts; we will govern ourselves! This was a pretty big move for thirteen little agrarian colonies against the most powerful nation on earth at that time. We fought for our very lives, eventually driving English forces off the American soil; we were independent!
The next thing on the agenda for those thirteen little agrarian colonies was to draw up laws of their own, which would be followed by all the citizens of a newborn nation. Finally, after long and arduous work, our Founding Fathers revealed the “Constitution of the United States of America”, the benchmark for freedom around the world: a government created to follow the will of the people, and to insure the freedom of each individual.
In the United States, we are under no obligation to follow any other law than our Constitution. We all have city ordinances and traffic and criminal laws, but all those laws and ordinances are subject to constitutional scrutiny. We have state constitutions too, but they are also subject to constitutional scrutiny; they can’t do anything outside the parameters of the U.S. Constitution.
I am a Christian, and I have precepts which I follow in my faith, yet I must also follow the laws of the land, and that is biblical. If there is something being done which I disagree with, I’m allowed to object to it, but I must still follow the law of the land. An American court can only implement the laws of the local, state or federal government; no other documents or beliefs are qualified for use in an American courtroom.
Currently in Florida, the legislature is considering a bill which will outlaw Shariah and other laws to be allowed in the Florida court system. This case is not peculiar to the state of Florida. Currently, there are 24 states with similar cases for legislation of this type. There have been cries of racism from some Islamic groups, claiming it is anti-Islam. In reality, this bill doesn’t specifically mention Islamic law, it says all religious laws regardless of sect or belief.
As an American, I must stand with Florida in the pursuit of maintaining our own system of law based on the Constitution of the United States. We do not live in a theocracy and our Founding Fathers wanted it that way. Religion and secular law are to remain separate, or we could end up with a government religion, and that is the “separation of church and state” that our Founding Fathers were trying to avoid.
If you are a Muslim, you are free to practice your religion as you wish in America, just as I, a Christian, am free to follow my beliefs; but in civil courts, both of our belief systems are subject to the laws and precepts of the United States Constitution; that is separation of church and state!
This is not anti-Islam, it is pro-American Constitution; and thank God we have those who will stand up for that great document!
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