Linda Sarsour, anational co-chair ofthe Women’s March on Washington – whose stated mission is “to send a bold message...that women’s rights are human rights” – is also an outspoken advocate of IslamicSharia Law that restricts the rights of women, claiming Sharia is “reasonable” and has simply been “misunderstood.”
“We will not rest until women have parity and equity at all levels of leadership in society. We work peacefully while recognizing there is no true peace without justice and equity for all,” the Women’s March mission statement says, in part.
Sarsour, a Palestinian Muslim American, who has said she believes that America is a nation built on the values ofgenocide and slavery and that“nothing is creepier than Zionism,” spoke at the Women’s March lastSaturday.
“I will respect the presidency,” she said. “But I will not respect this President of the United States of America. I will not respect an administration that won an election on the backs of Muslims and black people and undocumented people and Mexicans, and people with disabilities, and on the backs of women.”
Sarsour has openly supported Sharia law, a legal system that treats womenmuch differently than men and punishes lawbreakers withflogging, amputation, and stoning.
In 2011, Sarsour referred to Sharia as“reasonable,” tweeting: “once u read into the details it makes a lot of sense.”
Last April, Sarsour again took to Twitter to defend Sharia as being“misunderstood,” and “pushed as some evil Muslim agenda.”
She has even promoted Sharia as a means of financial benefit,tweeting: “If you are still paying interest than Sharia Law hasn’t taken over America.#justsaying.”
Saudi Arabia isgoverned by Sharia law, and women there are “controlled by a man from birth until death” according toHuman Rights Watch. Saudi women must obtain male permission to travel, marry, and even to exit prison.
It is illegal for Saudi females to drive. In late 2014, Saudi authorities caught two women driving anddetained them for 73 days.
But Sarsour expressed her indifference to the illegality of female driving in Saudi Arabia,tweeting: “10 weeks of PAID maternity leave in Saudi Arabia. Yes PAID. And ur worrying about women driving. Puts us to shame.”
Sarsour, who is alsoexecutive director of theArab American Association of New York, is described as a “racial justice and civil rights activist” and “every Islamophobe’s worst nightmare.”
She has fought to end surveillance of mosques in New York and to end “stop-and-frisk” policing, according to the group.
The Obama administration recognized Sarsour as a“Champion of Change” in2011. Obama’s White House described her as a “working woman, community activist, and mother of three” who excels at “community development, youth empowerment, community organizing, civic engagement and immigrants’ rights advocacy.”
CNSNews attempted to contact both Sarsour and Women’s March organizers to ask how her advocacy of Sharia is compatible with women’s rights, but they did not respond.