Hamtramck, Michigan has been given the nickname “Shariatown” now that the four out of the six City Council positions have been filled by members of the Islamic faith, and policies that mimic Sharia Law are being implemented throughout the city.
It was a historic election due to the fact that this is the first time that the majority of the positions of those that govern a city have been filled by Muslims, and Hamtramck is also believed to be one of the first US cities to have the majority of its residents comprised of those who follow the Islamic faith.
According to the Washington Post, as recently as the 1970’s, the town’s population was 90% Polish Catholics, but due to the influx of immigrants, the low birth-rate of the Polish-Americans, and the factor that many have moved away from the area, the town’s makeup has been reversed to the point that only about 10% of its citizens are currently of Polish descent.
After the election of three new Muslims to the city board, residents began to report on new changes to the city, that seem to be based on the teachings of the Islamic faith.
A city ordinance was passed that would prevent anyone from obtaining a liquor license and selling alcohol within 500 feet of any of the city’s multiple mosques. One of the teachings of the faith is that alcohol is a forbidden substance, and it is a sin to consume.
Another noticeable change is the allowance of an Islamic community center broadcasting their call to prayer over loudspeakers five times a day. Several residents have complained, in the past, about the volume of the speakers, and questioned why those who engage in the activity of prayer cannot just use their own watches to know when it is time to pray.
Via the US Chronicle