This is the text of a speech I'll be delivering in about two hours.

Introduction
In recent weeks, the governments of two nations have instituted Sharia law over its citizens. In Pakistan, Sharia law has been imposed on a remote valley in direct response to the Pakistani military’s complete inability to deal with the extremist Taliban. In Somalia, the ruling government voted for nationwide Sharia law largely in an attempt to remove the teeth from an extremist opposition group.
In both countries, people now find themselves governed by harsh laws we in American can view as nothing but an unnatural disaster.

Watching this spread of a set of laws I can only find frightening is like watching a set of dominoes falling one after the other. Without the cool clicking sounds.

Furthermore, efforts in this country to incorporate Christianity-based views into public policy demonstrate a slippery slope, and we’ve been standing at the precipice. Christian-based policies today, Sharia in 20 years?

(shudder)

Relate Fears to McCarthyism

As I envision the potential future and repeat some of those phrases to myself --domino effect, slippery slope, prevent the spread – I am reminded of an earlier time in American history, possibly within the memory of some of the people in this room.

In the late 40s and 50s, America was virtually paralyzed with fear. Thank God for Joseph McCarthy. He saved us from The Red Scare.

(pause)

George Santayana wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” And so as I considered those phrases – domino effect, slippery slope, prevent the spread – I am morally obliged to consider one simple question: Am I in my fears repeating the mistakes from 60 years ago?

An Answer to Corrupt Rulers

I did some digging. Not very much – this is only a 7-minute speech after all. But I learned a few things about Sharia law. I learned, for instance, that there are at least 5 different versions of Sharia law. There is a significant number of countries who practice Sharia law. Some governments such as the Saudis and the Taliban practice a very strict interpretation. Other countries engage in interpretations we in America would find less distasteful. Some countries in Europe allow Sharia law in civil issues such as marriage and divorce when all parties wish it.

I learned something more important than all this, however. According to Noah Feldman of the Council on Foreign Relations, Islamic law is viewed by many Muslims as creating a path to just and legitimate government. This is as opposed to the corrupt governments otherwise experienced in much of the Muslim World.

Sharia By Consent

Sharia law is available as a choice to some people. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, many Muslim countries have a secular government, but Muslims can choose to bring familial and financial disputes to sharia courts. This trend has spread into non-Muslim countries including Britain.

Some Muslim scholars argue that enforcing Sharia through coercive powers negates its religious nature. Sharia should be followed by choice, not by force.

Conclusion

I’ve been talking for several minutes. I suspect some of you are now wondering whether I have a point. Is Sharia good or bad? It’s bad, right? Or isn’t it?

Well, I do have a point, a very simple point: this issue isn’t as simple as it seems.

It’s not a question of whether Sharia law is good or bad. It is not the place of anyone in this room to decide under what laws someone else should live.

But of course, it is also not up to those people to tell us how to live, either!

The question isn’t whether Sharia law is good or bad. The question is: who decides? Forced conversion to Sharia law continues to be a set of falling dominoes. To contemplate the implications is to shudder.
But it’s not Sharia we should fear, but it is the religious extremists, regardless of the details of their religion.