What are the chances that Salon are trying to condition people to not get mad about the inevitable sharia courts in the USA
Pretty much near 0. Seriously, the fear of sharia law emerging in the west is just silly. Even in (most countries with a muslim majority it's not practiced)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_of_sharia_law_by_country#Sharia_in_the_world]
There is over 100 sharia courts in the UK and many more underground.
That's more like mediation for those who want it, in civil cases, without means to enforce their rulings. Not to be mixed up with cut off limbs and stonings.