THE DUMBEST IMMIGRATION BILL OF THE YEAR

There is no shortage of politicians who have sought to find silly angles to capitalize on the public's anxieties in the post-9/11 world. And this week its out old friend Tom Tancredo (who is doing the world a favor and leaving Congress after this session) who wins the award.

The bill in question is HR 6975 which would require every immigration applicant to attest that they do not advocate establishing a Sharia law system in the United States. Cato's Jim Harper uses the appropriate phrase "jumping the shark" in explaining how moronic this proposal is.

Comments

[Jack]

'There is no possibility - none - that Sharia law will be established in the United States. Not by any government body at any level.'

After being so emphatic and categorical, this is where you're, you know, supposed to say why, Jim.

[Legal and no longer waiting]

"This bill is stupid but not the idea."

Yes, the idea is called "separation of church and state" and, as I remember, is mentioned quite explicitly in the US Constitution. Fortunately, it does not classify every single person from a "pro-Sharia country" into some weird inadmissibility category, like some have suggested.

Guys, there is the right way to address ideas like that (sparation of church and state while respecting everyone's right to have their opition and not branding people as undesirables based on the country of birth), and there are wrong ways. I know, nobody wants the US to become a Sharia nation, but let's not take this good intention and turn it into a paving stone on the road to you know where.

[Deb]

This bill is stupid but not the idea. Anyone foolish enough to say Sharia is OK needs to look at Sharia countries and the plight of UK with its Muslim population. I am against this Tancredo nutcase. But this idea definitely is not wacko, I am all for it.

[Legal and no longer waiting]

"Any person from a country where a substantial part of the population is pro-Sharia should not be allowed in the West, not only as an immigrant, but even as a visitor with a few exceptions, i.e., political asylum or as a diplomat etc."

Is that just me, or is this straight up dose of discrimination by the national origin? Looks to me that the "cure" is worse than the desease. Maybe Muslims Against Sharia should learn a thing or two about western legal system and values before offering their short-sighted "solutions".

[Muslims Against Sharia]

Muslims Against Sharia praise Congressman Tancredo's initiative. We advocated similar measures in the past and fully support "Gihad Prevention Act"

"Any person from a country where a substantial part of the population is pro-Sharia should not be allowed in the West, not only as an immigrant, but even as a visitor with a few exceptions, i.e., political asylum or as a diplomat etc. ... Every legal immigrant should be allowed to stay only if he/she did not display desire to establish a Sharia state in a host country. Any naturalized citizen who displays a desire to establish a Sharia state in a host country should have his/her citizenship revoked and promptly deported. I think the latter two groups is where the real danger lies." Linda Ahmed, FrontPage Magazine, July 24, 2008

"Anyone who proclaims Islamic extremist views should be tried for sedition, since we are at war with radical Islam, or at the very least, promptly deported." Khalim Massoud, FrontPage Magazine, September 9, 2008

http://muslimsagainstsharia.blogspot.com/2008/09/tancredo-proposes-anti-sharia-measure.html

[Dan]

Muslims believe in Sharia law and it must be their constitutional right to express their beliefs. To practice it is a different matter.

[hmm]

I am a State employee and remember being required to sign a paper that I will not attempt overthrow US or State Government. If this is okay, then I think Sharia law thing is okay too. Same level of stupidity.

[AD]

If Sharia law is seriously considered, it will be after there are enough natural born citizens who demand it.

My bet is that Tancredo knows this particular proposal is pointless, but is using it to feed anti-immigration passions. Kind of reminds me of the attestation on immigration forms about not indulging in polygamy :-).

[Dan]

Why don't they do LC first and then if no Americans' willing to do the dirty work, then give immigrant workers a 12-month working visa plus a chance to renew for another year.

I know we need a new law to do this.

[Dan Kowalski, Austin, Texas]

Actually, Harper did not use the phrase "jumping the shark;" I did, in linking Harper's article on www.bibdaily.com.

[Another voice]

ICE is probably going to let them work and rebuilt Houston the they'll grab them and deport them, after they have done all the heavy lifting!! I doubt that we will see un-employed Wall Streeters cleaning up Houston.

[Dan]

Most undocumented workers are now back in Houston to help re-build the city. I wonder what ICE gonna do!?

[nancys]

The problem is, Saria Does Not work in the UK. Talk about dividing a nation, two systems of law would do it. The U.S. has already become divided on many fronts--how much more division can we absorb before we fall???
This needs to be an issue before this situation is out of control. I like Tancrado--he is pro-active while others have their head in the sand and continue to be politically correct.

[AD]

If Sharia works in the UK, it can work in the US. But isn't it interesting that while Harper is taking Tancredo to task over this bill, he isn't exactly okay having Sharia law in the US.

[ASDF]

I thought we all pressed the ignore button on Tommy boy.

[George Chell]

Was n't there a dumber bill advocating moratorium and doing away with Asian mail order brides?