Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Rape is Legal in U.S. under Sharia Law?? New Jersy Judge says so...

Hmmmm. What are some judges thinking? I remember some years ago i was stunned when a 7-year old girl who had been raped was called "seductive" as the judge explained his leniency in sentencing the child rapist to probation. (similar story HERE)
(for a bit of investigation/study, Read in the journal of Law and Society,  Judges, the Media and Rape)

Now i read the following:

The story is HERE and HERE:

"This, in classic Islamic fashion, was an arranged marriage. She was 17 at the time of the wedding in 2008, and had never even met the man before they got married. The woman was told by her husband every time non-consensual sex took place, "This is according to our religion. You are my wife, I can do anything to you."   The man forced himself on his wife one last time before later on that same day taking her to the home of a local imam where he verbally divorced her.  Now get this.
The American judge dismissed the woman's charges of sexual assault and criminal sexual conduct on the grounds that her husband should not be punished for spousal rape because Islam permits it.
Said the judge, "This court does not feel that, under the circumstances, that this defendant had a criminal desire to or intent to sexually assault or to sexually contact the plaintiff when he did. The court believes that he was operating under his belief that it is, as the husband, his desire to have sex when and whether he wanted to, was something that was consistent with his practices and it was something that was not prohibited."

The judge then refused to issue a restraining order against the man, leaving the woman vulnerable to repeated rape attempts with no legal protection of any kind." this quote:citation and more here
More blogging on this story Here
--I am wondering why there is not more in the mainstream about this story, but am only finding pieces here and there on sites with focused agendas. Why not discuss this in the popular press? --
I bring this up to raise an issue to ponder:
Freedom of Religion is allowed insofar as what?
That is,
one may practice one's religion in this country Freely as long as ... what?
Must local and national laws be followed?
There is a push for Sharia Law in many other counties in the world right now; many governments are grappling with this issue. What about stoning adulters (women) and beheading gay men? If it is the religion, should it be allowed? (Of course not, but) That is what legislators are dealing with globally at this moment.
Including here in your own country!

England Here.

Denmark Here.

Fu'Cryin' Out Loud.

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