As if we actually needed proof that Islam was slowly but surely creeping further and further into our way of life in the UK, we learn from today's Sunday Times (UK) that sharia courts now have official sanction, and that there are five of them operating in the country, including one I blogged about last week (see "How do you solve a problem like sharia?").
It's a frightening situation, and one I certainly wasn't aware of, and presumably most people were not, either, given that the paper has seen fit to publish the fact as a news story.
It says the British government has "quietly sanctioned" the powers of these "courts" so that "sharia judges [can] rule on cases ranging from divorce and financial disputes to those involving domestic violence".
Rulings issued by any of the five sharia courts are enforceable "with the full power of the judicial system, through the county courts or High Court".
Now you might argue that there's nothing to worry about, since they're just arbitration assemblies, and sharia "courts" are able to set themselves up as such under the Arbitration Act of 1996, which Muslims have taken advantage of.
But what happens when one of these kangaroo "courts" decides to "try" a case involving homosexuals or women?
There are rumblings of disquiet in the UK about it, and rightly so. Read more at my regular blog.
It's a frightening situation, and one I certainly wasn't aware of, and presumably most people were not, either, given that the paper has seen fit to publish the fact as a news story.
It says the British government has "quietly sanctioned" the powers of these "courts" so that "sharia judges [can] rule on cases ranging from divorce and financial disputes to those involving domestic violence".
Rulings issued by any of the five sharia courts are enforceable "with the full power of the judicial system, through the county courts or High Court".
Now you might argue that there's nothing to worry about, since they're just arbitration assemblies, and sharia "courts" are able to set themselves up as such under the Arbitration Act of 1996, which Muslims have taken advantage of.
But what happens when one of these kangaroo "courts" decides to "try" a case involving homosexuals or women?
There are rumblings of disquiet in the UK about it, and rightly so. Read more at my regular blog.
3 comments:
Already, these courts are handing down judgements which go counter to the spirit of the British system, if not the letter.
Women are being treated as half a person in these officially-sanctioned Sharia courts, receiving half the money in inheritances, etc.
That is a violation of the Western ideal, if it is not a violation of a specific British law.
This is an abomination.
Another concession to the creeping Islamic encroachment.
This is the kind of thing that lights a fire under my ass. The situation is urgent. Our work here needs to be heard by more people. I really liked what the Clarion Fund did by sending out DVDs in newspapers. I just read in the Muslim Public Affairs Committee newsletter that 28 MILLION of these DVDs (Obsession) went out this week. And if the MPAC doesn't like it, it MUST be a good thing!
That's the kind of thing we need — to reach the people who don't know what we know. That's the most urgent need right now, I think. Much larger numbers of ordinary citizens need to be alerted to the amazing level of Islamic political encroachment.
How can we reach these people? How can we reach them in a way they won't be turned off by the message? Sending out Obsession is a great idea. What else can be done?
I think what is So disturbing about the situation with Sharia courts in England is the absolute non-existence of Feminism other than a small minority of hard core Marxist feminists [women of color in UK who have to Live in these communities where they see Sharia and the harsh realities day to day plus dealing with poverty] who will dare even speak out.
Where's the rest of the so called 'evolved' women in Europe? Where's the influence of Simone de Beauvoir in Europe?
While I realize the influence of feminism in UK has been very different from here in America, especially within the left/union left especially [Ireland they tend to be a bit more vocal, esp solidarity movement] I am a bit dismayed at the backwardness [and not to be offensive here] of the women's movement in Britain.
Because Sharia effects women far more negatively than it does men, AND BECAUSE the UK is not a heavily influenced by Christianity in comparison with the US, one would THINK there would be more social outrage, particularly among the women,
now whether this is years of a type of British proper patriarchy or just the nature of the British themselves, the 'let sleeping dogs lie' philosophy, I don't know,
but what I find extremely concerning, is that I see, at least among the women and feminist [liberal especially] movement in the US turning more towards conservativism WHICH WILL MAKE THIS NATION RIPE,
FOR TOLERATING SHARIA COURTS HERE. Hey, after all, if Religion is allowed to have that much control over women, whats one more regulation?
And why stir up the nest so to speak and cause problems...much better to 'stay in one's proper place' and THAT I don't think many Americans DO GET.
The same can be said of GLBT rights as well, ONCE there is a mentality of acceptance towards laws that infringe upon the rights and force the GLBT back into the closet, it will be much easier for society to embrace Sharia laws that not only forbid homosexuality but rule that they should be killed.
And this is what I do find extremely concerning when I see and read this desire to return to some old day of white religious controlled/social constructs society that are rigidly patriarchal and tolerant towards human right abuses,
once that foundation is set, while it may be at FIRST to build up a social consciousness of a type of Traditionalism and Culture,
that reliance upon traditionalism, is more complimentary to the traditionalism that is used to justify the religion of Islam, particularly Sharia courts.
Just as we are seeing in UK. I think people tend to forget that in Europe there was for years a backlash against liberalism and feminism in particularly, before Islam came on the scene in the force that it is today. In other words, we are talking years of a social psyche change in the way people think or react to certain stimuli and part of that is the normalization of violence,
but its more than that. And I don't believe one can just lump it all to globalization or the economy or effects of social programs cuts to meet the requirements of the EU and so forth (during nineties when there as all sorts of social upheaval over those cuts),
nor just on the mass migration of Muslims, while thats a huge aspect of it, for the longest of time there wasn't much of a repulsion against lifestyles and beliefs that are Clearly obvious to even the most politically ignorant, nor was there much insistence upon keeping those so out of place with modern thinking type of beliefs OUT of modern society,
and no, I don't think it was ONLY a matter of, 'its just their culture', but there was a type of reaction of contempt towards any form of liberalism, ESPECIALLY where women were concerned,
because back in the 80s in Europe women were very hesitant to be called feminist, why feminist carried with it a very negative connotation, one that meant exclusion, that reaction to backlash.
So now here we are, with Sharia courts ruling over women, and we wonder why there isn't any outrage in UK or in other parts of Europe? Why should there be? For years there has been complacency and indifference to violence against women, discrimination against women, religious controls over reproductive rights all over Europe,
so, whats one more regulation? Whats one more misogynist ruling, whats one more forcing women back into the dungeon? Seriously,
the mindset is already there, when WOMEN THEMSELVES do not protest too much, whether out of fear or just out of
resignation
thats it, liberalism has truly died because when the most oppressed of spirits cannot lift her head to even FIGHT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS FOR HERSELF, as woman,
because they have
ACCEPTED THEIR 'GOD MANDATED LOT IN LIFE'
then hey, Sharia is right there ready,
and the horrid and I do mean horrid thing is,
no one will even wince, when that first woman, is stoned. Be it in UK or in Holland or in Sweden, [well maybe Sweden, why the EU and media will keep that hush hush there] but in many conservative parts of Europe--the men will go off to the pub and drink and bitch about their old ladies
the women will return back into the home, fearful and afraid but not daring to even whisper and just hope to God,
that its not them one day in front of those Mullah clerics who rule the Sharia over them.
But, the death sentence, to women at least, came way before Sharia courts--in fact, it was that death sentence to liberalism and women's rights, that opened the door wide open with friendly gesture,
to welcome Sharia and the misogyny that goes with it, with open arms,
and of course, over a beer or two.
Natasha
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