OK: Legislator's proposal would ban use of Sharia law

Views differ on whether State Question 755 is necessary.
By BILL SHERMAN
World Religion Writer
7/18/2010

A proposed amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution that would ban Sharia law in the state court system is either a pre-emptive strike against encroaching Islamic law in the U.S. or an expression of Islamophobia, depending on who you ask.

State Rep. Rex Duncan, R-Sand Springs, authored State Question 755, which requires state courts to rely only on federal and state laws when deciding cases, and forbids courts to consider international law or Sharia law. It will appear on the Nov. 2 general election ballot.

Duncan said he proposed the constitutional change because federal judges are increasingly embracing the idea that federal courts should look to international law to settle U.S. cases.
"I find that offensive," he said. the rest