Sharia Law Comes to America
Sharia Law in PA.
Sharia Law, or the law according to Islam, has officially arrived in America with the force of a nuclear blast. Recently, in Mechanicsburg Pa., Judge Mark Martin, an Iraq war veteran and a convert to Islam, threw out at an assault case stemming from a fracas at a Halloween parade. Nothing new in that. Cases get thrown out of court all the time. What’s new in this case were the grounds for dismissal. Sharia Law.
The Zombie Muhammed Marcher
A marcher, Ernest Perce, was dressed up as a Zombie Muhammed. Marching next to him was another man dressed up as a Zombie Pope. A Muslim in the crowd, Talaag Elbayomy, attacked the man marching as a Zombie Muhammed. Mr. Elbayomy was arrested by the police and charged with harassment. Mr Elbayomy admitted to the police that he had indeed attacked Mr Perce.
Despite what seemed an open and shut case, Judge Martin threw out the case on the grounds that Mr. Elbayomy was obligated to attack the Zombie Muhammed marcher because of his Islamic faith. According to Judge Martin, Mr Elbayomy had the right to stand up for his religion, and that First Amendment free speech rights did not allow for people to make whatever remarks they please without considering another person’s cultural sensitivities. According to Judge Martin, Sharia law trumps the 1st Amendment of the Constitution.
First Amendment Violation
Really Judge? Since when? During his ruling Judge Martin called Mr. Perce, the Zombie marcher a “doofus.” If we follow Judge Martin’s interpretation of the first amendment and apply it to his comments regarding Mr Perce, we are forced to conclude that he violated Mr Perce’s first amendment rights and “cultural sensitivities” by calling him a “doofus.” If we follow Judge Martin’s logic to its extreme conclusion, then by calling Mr Perce a “doofus” he granted Mr Perce the right to assault him! In essence, Judge Martin’s Sharia law interpretation of the first amendment of the US Constitution also indicts the good Judge himself. Guilty by his own hand. This is one confused Judge.
In his determination Judge Martin declared that Mr. Perce, the “Zombie” Muhammed marcher, was the perpetrator and that Mr. Elbayomy was innocent. Lovely. What’s next in America?
Constitutional Law
Meanwhile, no devout Catholic attacked the “Zombie” Pope marcher. In fact, no American born citizen attacked anyone. If Mr. Elbayomy wants to reside in America he must obey our laws, pure and simple. Sharia law has no place here. This is not a muslim country. We have civil law. We are a democracy, not a theocracy. Judge Martin has demonstrated his lack of fitness to serve on the bench with his blatant bias against Mr. Perce and his decision to place Sharia law above U.S. Constitutional law. In his oath of office he promised to adhere to the laws of the land and obey the Constitution. Judge Martin failed to act in accordance with his oath of office and should be removed from the bench. He is not fit to serve.
New Developments in the Case
The incident has since sparked a furor in the Mechanicsburg PA area. Yesterday, February 28,2012, Judge Martin and his entire staff were relocated to York PA. I doubt that the good Judge will be re-elected. With a little common sense, he won’t even bother to run for re-election. But since he showed no evidence of common sense, let alone judicial sense, in his handling of this case one must wonder if he will show good judgment when it comes time to run once more for office or step down and resign his post.
When he is no longer in office he will have time to reacquaint himself with our constitution and perhaps even understand that Sharia law has no place in a democratic country. But given his mentality, that might be too much to hope for. If Sharia law ever gets traction in this country, it is indeed a sign that our democratic institutions are democratic in name only and our country is in grave danger.
You can read more about this case here.