The American Alliance Fighting Foreign Laws Which Threaten Our Constitutional Freedoms

An interview with Christopher W. Holton of the Center for Security Policy

by Jerry Gordon (March 2013)

attempted assassination. Hedegaard over powered the assailant who subsequently fled and is still at large. He joins fellow Danish political cartoonist Kurt Westergaard and Swedish artist Lars Vilks all of whom have been targeted with violence for exercising their rights to free expression. Whereas, Hedegaard’s fellow Danes were horrified by the shooting, Swedish media suggested that he may have brought the attack upon himself. Hedegaard has been a vigorous opponent of Sharia (Islamic law) in Denmark and the EU. He follows the dictum of fellow Dane, Westergaard, “free speech, use it.” In the wake of the attempt on his life Hedegaard refuses to be intimidated and continues, under 24/7 Danish police protection, to edit and publish Dispatch International with Swedish colleague, Ms. Ingrid Carlqvist

The West Speaks). Yet, the reality is that our First Amendment has been under assault by Muslim advocacy groups, civil rights and even anti-discrimination groups under the guise of combating religious intolerance. Our State and Justice Departments have conducted dialogue on the subject with the 57 member Organization of Islamic Cooperation and EU foreign ministers in sessions in Istanbul and Washington. The OIC wanted the US to adopt UN Human Rights Commission Resolution 16/18 promulgated in March 2011 that would undermine the basic Constitutional guarantees of our fundamental freedoms of free speech and religious liberty. Muslim advocacy groups in America have engaged in Lawfare seeking to stifle free speech and basic rights of habeas corpus by intimidating individuals and organizations seeking to protect such basic Constitutional guarantees.

Stephen M. Gelé of the New Orleans law firm of Smith & Fawer. The mission of the Alliance is:

American Laws for American Courts (ALAC)

Free Speech Defense Act (FSDA), “Rachel’s Law”

See Something; Say Something Act (SSSSA)

Disclosure of Foreign Gifts to Higher Education Act (DFGHEA) and,

Female Genital Mutilation Act (FGMA)

David Yerushalmi, Esq., General Counsel for CSP, a noted expert and pro bono litigator on Sharia Islamic law matters. In January 2012 Yerushalmi and Co-counsel Robert Muise from the Thomas More Law Center formed the pro-bono American Freedom Law Center. ALAC was designed to protect Americans against foreign laws and legal doctrines such as Sharia that suborn Constitutional freedom guarantees. ALAC has been enacted in Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana and Tennessee; it is currently pending in eight additional states during the 2013 legislative sessions. On February 21, 2013, the Florida House Judiciary Committee voted 11 – 2 in favor of the Florida version of ALAC, HB 351 (Application of Foreign Law in Certain Cases). The bill now goes to a vote by the Florida House of Representatives.

Funding Evil , who was subject to a “Tourist Libel” decision  in the London law courts brought by late Saudi businessman, Sheik Khalid bin Mahfouz, for allegations about his funding terrorism. The late bin Mahfouz‘s sister was one of the wives of the late al-Qaeda founder, Osama bin Laden, assassinated in Abbatobid, Pakistan in May 2011. Rachel’s Law is directed at providing free speech defenses for journalists and publishers against libel matters brought in foreign jurisdictions of convenience and used to penalize publications and disclosures of investigations. Versions of Rachel’s Law have been enacted in New York, California, Illinois, Florida, Utah, Louisiana and Tennessee.

Losing our Sons  produced by Americans for Peace and Tolerance.

Kansas ALAC law passed in the 2012 legislative session in Topeka. The Kansas and Alabama delegations at the 2012 GOP national convention were instrumental in introducing an ALAC plank for the party platform that was unanimously passed by a voice vote. The Kansas FGM bill would make violation of the proposed law a level 3 felony under Kansas law.

Against this background we interviewed Christopher W. Holton, Vice President for Outreach of the CSP on ALAC, its prospects for passage in pending jurisdictions and other initiatives of the Alliance. He directs the Center's Divest Terror Initiative and Shariah Risk Due Diligence Program.

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