(urth) This Week in Google Alerts: Home Fires

[Lee Berman]

>David Stockhoff: I know there are anti-immigrant politicians across Europe, 
>we generally only hear about our own in the US. Here, Islamists boast of nothing. 
>They keep quiet.
 
There is a sociological rule of thumb stating that minority populations don't start
trying to exert political power until they approach 10%. Muslim population in the
USA is well below that, while Latino and African-American are at that level.
 
I think the desire for sharia law in Europe may be more a function of disadvantaged
minority status than pure religious zealotry and belief.
 

>I don't think that makes sense. What would any justice system be 
>without, say, a death penalty?

Yoicks! There are 16 US states without the death penalty. Moreover 50% of all nations
on earth have abolished it and only 22% actually use it significantly. You've got China
and the US. Most of the rest are Muslim and/or African nations.
 
The data seems pretty well established that execution does not serve as a deterrent to
crime. But it does serve the populace in providing a sense of justice and vengeance. In
some cultures, most of the USA included,  justice and vengeance are more important than 
crime prevention.