Publisher’s Point: The Courage Of Dr. Carson

Dr. Ben Carson is a true American hero, one about whom I have already written in this column. Whether or not he becomes our next President, I have no doubt that he will continue to speak from a place of conviction, courage, and a refreshing lack of political correctness.

One of the things I like the most about him is that when he speaks up in adversarial situations, his moral and spiritual compass remain fixed, and his level of self-control is exemplary. Such was the case recently when someone tried to use the Constitution to trip him up and make him appear to be Islamaphobic.

The place was Staten Island, and a Muslim fellow, who interestingly is the chairman of the Staten Island Libertarian Party, quoted the following from Article 6, Section 3 of the United States Constitution: “No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.” The challenger, whose name is Hesham El-Meligy, tried to then make it seem that Ben Carson had previously stated that he would never want to see a Muslim in the Oval Office, and wanted to know how Dr. Carson could reconcile his alleged statements with what he was trying to make the Constitution appear to say. The response was as follows:

“That’s very easy to reconcile, actually. If you go back and look at what I said, I said I would not want a Muslim who accepts all the precepts of Islam, including Shariah.” What happened next was pretty surprising, given that Staten Island is in the middle of New York City. Dr. C got a standing ovation, and it went on for quite awhile.

It does not take a rocket scientist to show that Shariah law and our Constitution are at permanent loggerheads. The following is a comparison of critical portions of the two documents, proving that one would have to supplant the other:

Article VI: The Constitution is the supreme law of the land: Article VI: “This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall• be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby”

Shariah: “The source of legal rulings for all acts of those who are morally responsible is• Allah.” (a1.1, Umdat al-salik or The Reliance of the Traveller, commonly accepted work of Shariah jurisprudence); “There is only one law which ought to be followed, and that is the Sharia.” (Seyed Qutb); “Islam wishes to destroy all states and governments anywhere on the face of the earth which are opposed to the ideology and program of Islam regardless of the country or the nation which rules it. The purpose of Islam is to set up a State on the basis of its own ideology and program.” (Seyed Abul A’ala Maududi)

Ben was being beneficent and gracious, and I will not judge the motives of Mr. El-Meligy. All I know, is I am grateful for a man who will fight for the truth of who we are as Americans, and what defines us. May God bless Ben all the days of his life.