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| CAIR-OK: Urges Appeals Court to Uphold Blocking of OK Anti-Sharia Law |
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(Oklahoma City, OK 5/8/11) - On Monday, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a brief with the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit urging the court to uphold a ruling that blocked the implementation of a discriminatory and unnecessary Oklahoma constitutional amendment that prohibits the consideration of Sharia.
SEE: CAIR Cited Constitution In Suit Involving Sharia The measure officially titled the "Save Our State Amendment," was temporarily enjoined last year by a lower court for blatantly disfavoring an entire faith and denying Oklahoma's Muslims access to the judicial system on the same terms as every other citizen. "This amendment is nothing more than a blatant attempt to subvert the Constitution by enshrining anti-Muslim bigotry into state law," said Daniel Mach, Director of the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief. "The idea that followers of an entire faith should be treated like second-class citizens is ugly, discriminatory, and profoundly un-American."
The State Question prompted Muneer Awad, Executive Director of CAIR’s Oklahoma chapter, to file suit alleging violations of his rights under the Free Exercise Clause and Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
Awad was deeply concerned that the law was not only discriminatory, but also would prevent courts from recognizing personal legal documents that incorporate his beliefs, such as his last will and testament. When the district court issued an order blocking implementation of the law, the state Attorney General's office appealed.
“As a citizen of Oklahoma, it is appalling to think that my state representatives regard Oklahoma's Muslim community as a threat,” said Awad. “This law singles us out for no reason, and cuts us off from the protections of the law against discrimination that are granted to all other faiths.”
Attorneys on the case include the ACLU’s Mach and Heather L. Weaver; ACLU of Oklahoma cooperating counsel Micheal Salem; and CAIR’s Gadeir Abbas. -End- |
