House fast tracks bill to stop non-existent surge of Islamic law

One of the bogeymen that has been to drive up right wing radio ratings has been the assertion that American courts are going to realize the Sharia laws that are followed by Islamic countries.

And while American law has reined supreme and will continue to rein supreme in American courts it has not stopped some of our legislators from trying to ride the waves of paranoia to appeal to their base.

Such is the case with HB 708, sponsored by Rep. Paul Curtman, R-Pacific, which would make sure that Missouri doesn't follow any "foreign law."  The bill was introduced Monday, has already had two readings, and has been assigned to the Judiciary Committee, a clear indication that the bill has been placed on the fast track.

Sadly, this bill is co-sponsored by 38 legislators, including Speaker of the House Steve Tilley, Perryville, and Majority Leader Tim Jones, R-Eureka.

Looking back to a Turner Report post from November, it appears that I accurately predicted the kind of nonsense that was going to be coming from our elected officials during this General Assembly session:

State legislators begin pre-filing bills for the 2011 session on December 1, and we can expect some of the favorite hits of yesteryear to climb the charts again.


We will undoubtedly have legislation designed to protect gun rights that no one is trying to take away in the first place. Most likely there will be a bill or two that would increase the penalties for drunk driving and of course, Sen. Jane Cunningham will launch her annual attack on public schools and schoolteachers.

Everyone will be talking jobs, as well they should be, and that should result in shortsighted bills that would make Missouri a right-to-work state and others that will offer all kinds of tax benefits to those who will bring poverty level jobs to the state and make it look as if the legislators have done their jobs.

And then there’s Sharia.

If there is any hot button issue that has the right wing salivating these days it is the idea that there are armies of Muslims who plan on attacking our system from within through the use of Sharia laws.

And while our state finances are supposed to have fallen on hard times, it appears that we still have enough to waste the taxpayers' money on unnecessary legislation to solve problems that do not exist.