They're here, they don't drink beer, get used to it.

Today's NYT has a great story about British Muslims' fight for religious freedom in England, with the distressingly and increasingly common theme of neighborhoods resisting the establishment of mosques. Watching the way Europe and Canada have handled their growing Muslim populations encroaching on their nominally Christian culture has been interesting, but mostly depressing. On the one hand, we have seen Canada flirting with enforcing Sharia in its courts, and on the other, France banning headscarves in public schools. It seems like no matter what these countries do, they take the wrong approach. Me, I'd look to places like - say - the Constitution for direction in situations like these. Freedom of expression - religious or otherwise - is a closely-guarded right in this country. Keep the headscarves. The Constitution lays out rights for all Americans, and doesn't make exceptions for religious traditions. Screw Sharia. Am I missing something, or shouldn't it be that simple?

Otter's Oath

Given recent nontroversy over elected official swearing-in ceremonies, I think that one can only conclude that Idaho Governor-Elect C.L. "Butch" Otter is keeping his swearing-in ceremony under wraps so that he swear his oath on the Quran in peace. With busybodies like Dennis Prager running around, who can blame him?

UPDATE: Thom George one-ups me at Huckleberries Online at suggests that he's actually swearing on The Fountainhead.