Ah, the USA needs this.

[DeafCaroline]

The point of this discussion is the possible inclusion of Sharia law and other cultural practices of immigrants into this century's nations.

You know what, you're right. Absolutely right. Right now, politicians, not wanting to tread on toes, are turning a culturally sensitive blind eye to religious going-ons that are against the law.

And it definitely should not be tolerated or allowed. And yes, in Islamic communities, especially immigrant communities that are often far more secular than communities back home, would enforce female circumsion and would enforce the girl to marry her rapist or "honourably" kill her and have it make it look like an accident. This is reality, it's the truth. And in countries like Canada and Netherlands, they turn far too much of a blind eye and this is resulting in crimes against women. When I was in grade six, I was best friends with a girl from Somalia, her name was Ubah. I had been at her house many times and I'll never forget the day her mother and aunts all very casually said they were circumcised, as in FULLY circumcised. They were all about 9 or 10 when it was done. I asked them why, they said it was just done. you're not a real woman if you're not circumcised. Then the mother talked about how difficult birth for each of her 7 children. I was horrified. And vastly relieved to learn Ubah won't go through the same fate. But they said others are not so lucky, they go back to their mother countries to get circumcised or they have it quietly done within the immigrant community by an Islamic doctor.

Now, I am not saying all Muslims are like that but there are small pockets of Muslims who are more fundamentalist, more radical and as such, live by the Sharia law. They do exist and they do exist in immigrant communities.

So, to permit consideration of Sharia law means actually legalizing what should never be legalized because once you open that door, it's going to be forced open because it would be their legal right to uphold the Sharia law.

The Sharia law is not even real Islam, it's based on brutal clan culture from the deserts of the Mid-East that spread its way to North AFrica then south from there.

So, I am adamantly against making special consideration in regards to religion when it comes to violations of the laws regarding safety and human rights of citizens like my friend Ubah.