Terrorists, take note:

Foreign or domestic, the government of Macon County has no interest in doing business with you, directly or indirectly.

Macon County Commissioners passed a resolution stating so on Monday night, Aug. 16, during the Full Body meeting at the courthouse.

The resolution – Resolution No. 5 – is “to prohibit Macon County from engaging in business with organizations with terrorist affiliation.”

It comes in response to a request from the group ACT! For America, but stops short of giving the group everything it first requested.

An ACT! Representative appeared before the commission June 7 and suggested commissioners pass a “Shariah Finance Ordinance.” A draft ordinance was provided for commissioners.

Shariah finance, according to the group, “is a powerful economic tool of Political Islam disguised as a harmless religious method of investing for Muslims.”

Furthermore, the group alleged in June, “Western investment firms like

Citigroup, HSBC, Dow Jones, USB and AIG banks have created Islamic banks within their corporate structures, hiring Shariah Authorities or Imams to manage this new entity with discretion.”

The ultimate goal, ACT! alleged in June, is “to create a global Islamic nation wherein both Muslims and non-Muslims are under Islamic sovereignty.”

The draft ordinance, provided to Macon County by ACT!, said the county wouldn’t do business with these financial institutions “until such time as the institution provides full and fair disclosure and transparency regarding the nature of Shariah law and Shariah compliant finance.”

Commissioners responded by tabling the issue until August.

In preparation for the first meeting in August, County Mayor Shelvy Linville asked County Attorney Guy

Holliman to look into the legality of such an ordinance and advise the county on how best to proceed.

Holliman responded with a letter to Linville stating that the resolution would not be legal according to Article 1, Section 3 of the Tennessee Constitution and the First Amendment of the United States.

“If the intent of the proposed ordinance or resolution was to not have the county engage in business with companies that support terrorism or terroristic groups, then I would suggest that the County do that very thing, stated Holliman in his letter. “In other words, a resolution could be passed specifically saying that the government of Macon County, Tennessee shall not in its banking or any other business knowingly engage in business with any company that supports, or otherwise engages in business with terrorist of any kind, domestic or foreign.”

Commissioners followed Holliman’s advice and passed the resolution using the wording he suggested.

The resolution reads:

WHEREAS Macon County has been informed that certain businesses or other companies may have affiliations with or conduct business with terrorist organizations, and;

WHEREAS Macon County finds all terrorist organizations to be repugnant and against the principles upon which our great Country was built, and;

WHEREAS many men and women from Macon County have served honorably to fight terrorism worldwide and;

WHEREAS Macon County wants no association with any company that would do business with or otherwise have any affiliation with terror organizations.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the County Commissioners of Macon County, Tennessee in its regularly scheduled meeting on this the 16th day of August, 2010, that the Macon County Government shall not engage in business of any kind with any other business or other organization that is connected, affiliated, or does business with any terrorist organizations.