Editor's Note: CNN’s Soledad O’Brien chronicles the dramatic fight over the construction of a mosque in the heart of the Bible belt. “Unwelcome: The Muslims Next Door," airs March 27 at 8 p.m. ET.
Murfreesboro, Tennessee, has been the epicenter of a months-long battle over the construction of a new mosque in the Nashville suburb. It's one example of many concerning Muslims in America, and how cities and communities are responding to efforts to build Islamic places of worship.
That battle got fiercer when two state lawmakers, one representing Murfreesboro, introduced legislation that would make it a felony to practice Sharia law, which includes lessons found in the Quran, the holy book of Islam, and which can inform how Muslims live their everyday lives, including prayer rituals. Many Muslims consider Sharia law to outline basic tenets of living a moral life. What is Sharia law?
State Sen. Bill Ketron, R-Murfreesboro, and state Rep. Judd Matheny, R-Tullahoma, who are backing the same bill in the Senate and House, describe Sharia law as dangerous to U.S. national security, according to the Tennessean newspaper. The bill grants Tennessee's attorney general the power to investigate complaints about anyone who might be practicing Sharia law.
The possible punishment for practicing Sharia law is 15 years behind bars.
Last year, construction equipment on the site of a planned mosque in Murfreesboro was torched, and police suspect arson. Signs on the mosque property were vandalized with spray paint reading, "Not welcome." Two other proposed Islamic centers in Tennessee stoked much controversy last year. A Crusaders' cross was spray-painted on the side of a Nashville mosque, next to the words, "Muslims go home." In Williamson County, not far from Murfreesboro, plans to build a mosque were quashed after residents complained a turn lane into the building would be too costly. The debate over a mosque near ground zero in New York is still raging. The U.S. Justice Department supports the Murfreesboro mosque.
Tennessee isn't the first state to consider anti-Sharia law legislation. Oklahoma passed a similar bill last year. This month Missouri House Speaker Steve Tilley said he would support a bill that "maintains that U.S. law shall take precedence in U.S. courts," according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Tilley referenced a case, frequently cited in the debate concerning the Oklahoma law, in which a New Jersey judge relied on Islamic law to rule in a case involving domestic violence.
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The so called people on these comment boards try to be "cute". In essence, they are appear to be either drunk or drug prone.
Sad. Better go to another comment section. Preferabley the "HEAD BANGER'S BALL" one!
Laugh and you'll add 10 yrs to your life , loosen up Steven BONG AWAY
Scientology is still legal?
I have know idea who they are to make any judgement , they are soooo secretive
@Mary – it's I have NO idea, sweetie.
This is awesome. You go Tennessee! All 50 states should do this!
It just takes one brave state and the others will follow. It's about time too. If Muslim's want to live in the USA, then they better be prepared to live with our laws. You try taking American laws over to Iran or Yemen and see how far you get. Mary, that might be something you should try then let us all know how it worked out for ya. Have a great trip Mary!
@ Bluboy For one i would end up CAPPING Ahamadinejad and Yemen were Osama is from would have to be overthrown , now if you want me to do all that for ya i want to get PAID
Good grief Bluboy(or Phunnie boy),are you trying to be funny? I bet you are!
YAHOO, SOMEONE with BRAINS on this FORUM ! Go Bluboy ! More Americans are behind you on this issue then the ones who have "NONSENSE" to say.
CNN stop censoring me you pig haters!
The following is contained in the CNN FAQ:
"Anybody who disagrees with the CNN editorial lines or forum policies, can go to Faux themselves:
www. foxnews. com
Man they look stupid.
They look like human beings, just like the rest of us.
BTW, nice name you got there.
Look at this moron's on the street. The military should come in and fly their blackhawks over them and toss napalm on these idiots.
Your ignorance is EXACTLY the type that allows our country to fall to the current state of ignorance and corruption...sad.
@Bluboy – you have a point. Let thousands of Jews block the streets in prayer and see how long it takes for the authorities to move in and remove them. But since it's Muslim's.........no one will touch it. Everyone is afraid of these Muslim's – everyone except Tennessee. Muslim's are like; we are here and in your face. All I can say to the Muslim's that want to follow Sharia while in the USA is GTFO of America and go back to your stone and mud homes and have a good life.
That's right Bluboy ! You go, I hear you and I AGREE with you ! Blow off the planet.
How would this survive the Second Amendment? What ever became of the United States having freedom of religion?
Wrong Amendment.
first amendment, you mean how will it survive the first amendment.
Duh!
Thanks for the correction.
The fact that this needs a specific law is laughable. Stirring up the fears of the god, guns and gays crowd has been political gold for the GOP...and it will be until the (formerly) lower-middle class whites who respond to this stuff start starving and dying of treatable illness because they can't afford medical care.
Wing Nut Rip-publicans.... SCREW ALL RIP-PUBLICANS WHO HATE EVERYONE.
Ha Ha Ha YOU ARE TOO FUNNY ! The DEMO-CRAPS (oh, wait I have to wipe on that one) LMAO ! Your Anger is showing now...Calm down, take a deep breath....Breath.....Breath.....Now drop dead ! LOL
Memphis, Tennessee, pride of America, the city with the dubious honors where:
– The KKK held their first convention.
– The Tea Party held their first convention.
– MLK was assassinated.
hows the schools and job market there? and do they tip good?
They had some great college teams though
AWWW, your so right forgot about that , good one
I believe the first Tea Party Convention was in Nashville. And the schools in Nashville suburbs are very good, some of the best in the country... (Williamson County in particular)
Of course, those of us who have moved here from somewhere else have to put up with our elected officials pushing laws that pander to their fearful base rather than work on something that will help the state. Boggles the mind how some of these people can stay in office.
ELVIS
From this angle it looks like they all have their heads up each others asses. How ironic.
Hey chipps, maybe if they would sniff a womens ass instead of another guys ass the would be less aggressive. I said maybe, I dont understand, they kill gays, but they go smell eachothers ass and feet, wow what a religion
I agree with Mar1961 ! Very wise smart person, I too never understood them sniffing each other butt-holes ! Damn that is plain nasty....
OF COURSE US law should take precedence! Who could possibly question this?
Wow, another state that contributes almost nothing to the GDP of the country focusing on nonsense. How about contributing to the tax income of the country rather than just being a burden and acting as though everyone should follow your self-righteous example.
Take you stupid barbaric religion and shove it right up you a$$.......and btw your prophet was a pedophile of the lowest moral standard!! I spit on his grave!!!
@John – Hey, don't hold back. Let us know how you really feel. LOL!
Good grief,would you mind not posting that Tea Party mumbo-jumbo under my name? If you want to display your stpidity,at least cut out the Tea Party lingo.
Dont be so hard on the Catholics John, They can not help their hatred, their ignorance demands it.
Wow! People, do you not see the leading nature of how this article is written? This is not about banning mosques, or the moral teachings of Sharia law. This is about one set of laws that are in place in our country being surpassed. The law that is introduced has nothing to do with the racism and everything to do with making sure our laws aren't disregarded. This is about our legal system and not racism.
Its amazing...my posts WONT be posted...but your ignorance can blaze trails throughout the web...hmmm.
And put a cherry on top of that strawberry. sharia has no basis in American judicial processes...the nerve!
That happens to some of my posts too,Brian. But these ignorant rednecks can post anything they want here and have shown,regardless of how stupid it is!
@fakenutt go post yourself..