There's No Vaccination For Crazy
No, it's not April Fools, it's just the Florida Legislature. Although many consider them to be a joke as a whole. Business as usual for our lawmakers down here defies all logic, ignores reality, and comes up with laws year after year that protect us from non-existent threats. Your tax dollars at work.
Today's example comes from Sen. Alan Hays, who imagines that Sharia creeps among us and is determined to do something about it, and bless this man's twisted little brain, he's nothing but persistent. He tried to block it last year when he barred any testimony from those in the Capitol for "Muslim Day" who were informed that they could do so only after the bill passed the Senate. The group was there to communicate with elected officials in what was meant as "an opportunity for Muslim constituents in the state to be introduced “to the Florida political process." Well, Hays, who also feels that Hispanics have no business voting, certainly did that. Welcome to Tallahassee!
Whether banning their testimony was to prevent the creep of Sharia, or if the invitation to "communicate" with elected officials was evidence that the creep had indeed already begun, we'll never know for sure. Regardless, Hays' bill died in the end.
Not to be deterred, Hays is back again this year to waste yet more time and money fending off the imaginary threat only he, and a few others apparently can see. And if he didn't appear nutty enough last time, Hays has an entirely new explanation for selling the bill, and it's gained him national attention this time. While the Legislature works hard to prevent many from gaining access to health care, Hays sees the creeping Sharia as a "disease," and with his latest bill, he will provide "vaccinations" against it. No health insurance required, just magical thinking:
"When you were a child, did your parents have you vaccinated against different diseases? That was a preemptive gesture on their part for which I would hope you're very thankful. And this is very similar to that. Your mom and dad would not want you to get sick from one of those dreadful diseases, and I don't want any American to be in a Florida courtroom and have their constitutional rights violated by any foreign law. That's it. It's not that complicated."
Never mind that no one is trying to implement Sharia law in a courtroom or elsewhere. In the mind of lawmakers like Hays, it could happen. Crazy fantasies have played a part in other bills as well, especially when it comes to abortion law in Florida.
So yes, it's just another day at the office for the likes of Alan Hays. Sadly for the rest of us who have to live with any laws this man might manage to pass, it's too bad there's no vaccination for creeping insanity:
