Monday, March 18, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Monday, May 18, 2009
Fisking the Star-Bulletin: Uproar over Islam undeserved
By Andrew Walden @ 7:37 AM :: 15105 Views :: Environment, National News, Ethics, World News, Family

(Today's Star-Bulletin Editorial properly Fisked by  your beloved Editor) 

Legislators' near-unanimous approval of a resolution creating an Islam Day in Hawaii was greeted with anger by many people who mistook it as siding with terrorists.  (Why would they think that?  Just because it honors Sept 11 in the old Julian calendar but corresponds with exactly nothing in the Islamic calendar?  Or is it because of the 'magnificent' 7% below.) At most, it was an innocuous approval of President Barack Obama's outreach program as he prepares to deliver a major speech next month in Egypt.  (I'm sure Obama appreciates having Islam Day hung around his neck.)

Sen. Fred Hemmings voted against the resolution, even though the state also recognizes Buddha Day. "None of those other religions have a good proportion of their followers supporting and perpetrating worldwide terrorism. This is a war against civilization in the name of one religion," he said.  (Thanks to Sen Hemmings for the most sensible words in this entire editorial.  But no "Buddhism Day" how difficult is it for SB editors to grasp this distinction--or are they just continuing to insult the intelligence of their dwindling readership?)

That depends on how you define "a good proportion." A study conducted last year by the Gallup polling agency showed that 93 percent of the world's estimated 1.3 billion Muslims are moderates. Only 7 percent considered themselves to be radicals and condoned the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States for political, not religious, reasons.  (Even that cherry-picked poll number leaves 91 million Muslims who think September 11 was great work.  And this "7%" rules nuke-building Iran and is on the verge of taking over nuclear armed Pakistan.)

Big Island doctor and Sen. Josh Green opposed the resolution in the belief that the Legislature's designation of an Islam Day would violate the First Amendment's clause against the government's "establishment of religion." The Constitution "does not permit the government to favor one religion over another," the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii said in a news release, sharing Green's opinion.  (And for once the ACLU is exactly right.)

However, Islam Day should easily survive the crucial Lemon Test,  (Right after Obama stacks the Supreme Court with SB Editors) named after Lemon v. Kurtzman, a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1971. The court ruled succinctly that a law "must have a secular legislative purpose," must have "its principle or primary effect" that "neither advances nor inhibits religion," and must not foster "an excessive government entanglement with religion." Yes on all counts.  (Does not advance Islam?  This argument is a Lemon.)

Rep. Lyla Berg said she introduced the resolution at the request of Hakim Ouansafi, chairman of the Muslim Association of Hawaii, to encourage people to "become more informed on what the religion is about and the people who are connected with it."  (And we have.  More on that later.)

A minute of research would reveal that the Ku Klux Klan was to Christianity what al-Qaida is to Islam.  (WRONG.  al-Qaida is to Islamism what the KKK was to the Democrat Party.  The KKK was the terrorist wing of the Democrat Party, not of Christianity.  Al-Qaida is the terrorist wing of Islamism.  The legislators just got suckered by the political wing of Islamism.  Maybe these geniuses should do more than a minute of research.  Why do they think we are stupid enough to believe that Islamism would be the first terror-based movement in years to NOT have a political wing?)

LINK: read SB editorial

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT