Staff Reports
The headline is blunt: a new Rasmussen Reports poll shows 43% of likely voters ages 18–24 have a positive view of “Sharia.” That single number should raise alarm bells in every school, church, and town hall in America. Toss in the unrest in France as a warning and the question becomes urgent: is our Constitution, and the civic culture that supports it, strong enough to stop a parallel legal or social order from taking root here?
The poll that should wake us up
The Rasmussen/Our Republic survey sampled 1,026 likely voters and found 21% overall had at least a somewhat positive view of Sharia, while 57% viewed it negatively. The striking result: 43% of 18–24-year-olds said they view Sharia positively, and 39% of 25–29-year-olds agreed. Younger respondents were also more open to teaching “the benefits of Sharia” in public schools and to allowing local adoption of Sharia if a majority supported it. Before anyone reaches for calm-bath salts, note the poll’s ±3% margin of error and the smaller subgroup sizes — but even with some wiggle room, this is a political and civic wake-up call.
Constitutional reality versus runaway rhetoric
Let’s be clear about what the Constitution actually does. The First Amendment bars government from establishing religion and protects free exercise. Federal courts have repeatedly blocked state measures that singled out a religion for punishment or exclusion. At the same time, American law does allow voluntary private arbitration — including religious arbitration — so long as it’s consensual and doesn’t violate public policy or the rights of nonconsenting parties. That’s not a recipe for a nationwide Sharia legal system, but it does mean religious norms can influence disputes in narrow, private ways. The real threat isn’t a single dramatic courtroom seizure of our legal code. It’s steady, local erosion: parallel institutions, social pressure, and political coalitions that chip away at civic cohesion.
Practical steps — and who should act
If you don’t like the direction the poll points, we have options. Congress can pass clear laws that prevent parallel legal systems from undermining statutory and constitutional rights. The executive branch can enforce immigration and national-security laws and use the bully pulpit to defend constitutional supremacy. States can refuse to recognize foreign or religious judgments that threaten equal protection and can investigate groups that operate like unofficial tribunals. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s probe of an alleged “Islamic Tribunal” is an example of the state-level scrutiny this issue will get. Meanwhile, too many courts have expanded religious-liberty claims in ways that complicate sensible reforms — judicial restraint must be part of the fix.
Civic renewal matters most
There’s a civic side to this problem that law alone can’t fix. Our constitutional order depends on citizens who believe in individual rights, self-government, and the rule of law. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s point about the West losing its thumos — the will to defend its civilization — is a useful rebuke. Teach kids basic civics, patriotism, and critical thinking. Insist on assimilation where newcomers accept our laws and values. Tighten immigration policies to favor those willing to join our civic experiment. In short: laws buy time, culture keeps the bargain.
Conclusion — act before habits harden
The Rasmussen numbers are a warning, not a prophecy. The Constitution is not a talisman that protects us without effort. It rests on courts, lawmakers, and most of all, on a people willing to defend the idea of self-government. Conservatives should treat this poll as a call to action: legislate smartly, enforce the law, push back against parallel institutions, and rebuild civic institutions that teach what it means to be an American. Ignore this trend and the slow drift that swallowed parts of Europe could become an American story too. That is a risk we should refuse to accept.
