I have strong views on capital punishment. I'd never sanction it. There have been to many mistakes, too many miscarriages of justice, too many innocent men convicted.
Likewise I'd never support Sharia law. I don't mind Muslims seeking adjudication in civil matters as happens in Jewish Rabbinical courts. It might save a bit of money and if both sides are happy, fine. It can never take precedence over English law.
A conversation with a Tory friend on the subject was quite revealing. We were discussing capital punishment, the birch and treatment of offenders. I asked his views on Sharia law. I got a lecture on how immigrants should obey the law of the land. I then pointed out that he'd just been advocating many of the better known aspects of it. State execution & beatings.
I know where my line is drawn in the sand is drawn. My friend doesn't. He'd like to see hoodlums flogged, murderers hung, rapists castrated. He couldn't say whether the rapists should get their nuts sown back on if sometime down the line the lady in question admits that she'd made the story up to keep her boyfriend quiet (happened to someone I know).
I thought I'd see if any well known Tories actually backed Sharia Law and guess who popped up. None other than our Boris. Speaking to the Islington Tribune, he suggested Sharia Law for Cycle theives ! The trouble with Sharia law is that the menu isn't a la Carte, it's a set meal. I don't think religion and lawmaking should ever mix. It is just too open to abuse and intolerance. For all I know Boris Johnson may have had his tongue firmly in his cheek when he was speaking. The trouble is that in other places his commens will be seen as positive affermation of the effect of Sharia. Religious courts will say "Even the Mayor of London acknowledges that it is effective". Public life should always be about engaging ones brain prior to speaking.
2 comments:
Rog
Rather than promoting Sharia law, British politicians need to stand up for British law. Too many laws now emanate from Europe and we have no say in the matter. Our supine MPs just meekly accept them. It really begs the question as to what MPs do all day to justify their basic salary, let alone the expenses.
In the old days, if the government did something we didn’t like, we could throw them out at the next election. But even if we do that, we still have to put up with the crackpot laws devised by unelected bureaucrats.
What we need is for Parliament to reassert its authority to govern.
I suppose one off the cuff and funny comment from Boris is a refreshing difference to old Ken inviting tyrants over to London who'd want to enslave women to the kind of legalised rape that has been passed into law in Afghanistan.
We love Boris!
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