Better Dead than Dhimmi

As much as jihad makes the news these days, there is a second (and in many ways more dangerous) element to Islamic expansionism that is almost entirely ignored by the Western media. Bat Ye'or coined the word "dhimmitude" to describe that second element, the use of oppressive legal and social conditions intended to coerce the conversion of Christians and Jews (and later Hindus and others). When the armies of Islam were on the march and came upon a town or fortress, they would offer the inhabitants three options: conversion, execution, or subjugation under shari'a law. From the Islamic point of view, all religions existed in the past to make way for Islam. Islamic tradition holds that the only "true" followers of Christianity and Judaism have already converted to Islam and the rest of us are heretics from our own faiths. After Mohammed spread his message, there was no need for any other religion, but the so-called "People of the Book" would eventually see the truth if given enough time.

The system of dhimmitude was also a great way to fill the coffers for Muslim rulers. During the early years, the economic theory of the Islamic empire was basically, "Kill that guy, take his stuff, and sell his wife and kids into slavery." But when the initial war effort stalled, even for a short time, the caliphs needed to keep the gold a-flowin'. So they imposed an early form of socialism: tax the "rich" (non-Muslims of every economic status) to give to the "poor" (the massive army and bureaucracy of the Caliphate). To retain dhimmi status, the non-Muslim would have to pay a crushing poll tax called the jizya. Often this tax was combined with public humiliation, such as having the dhimmi deliver the money to the tax collector while naked or shackled. The Muslim rulers drew heavily from the most productive elements of society, meaning the non-Muslim merchants, laborers, and craftsman (many of the Muslim converts were granted positions within the army or provincial government).

The word "dhimmitude" comes from the Arabic word dhimmi, which means protected. This "protection" was extortion, pure and simple. But instead of watching a couple of pudgy enforcers smash up a storefront, violators of shari'a would be thrown in jail or executed. The rules themselves were harsh and intended to quell any rebellions or religious movements (outside Islam, of course). Non-Muslims who had either surrendered (without converting) or had been defeated in battle would be offered security and limited religious rights. In exchange, the dhimmi would pay the jizya and would be subject to all Islamic law. Among the restrictions on religion, no new places of worship could be constructed and existing places of worship could not be expanded or repaired for any reason. No religious emblems, such as the cross, could be worn or displayed anywhere. A dhimmi could not expect the same treatment in the courts as a Muslim and were seen as worth less as human beings. They were regularly used as household servants and suffered abuse and scorn throughout their entire lifetimes (or until they folded under the pressure and converted to Islam). All in all, the system of dhimmitude was designed to convince non-Muslims that they were inferior and had no hope of escaping their horrible lives except through conversion. This is the truth behind the much-praised "tolerance" of Islamic society. It was also remarkably effective, practically eliminating Christianity from its strongholds in North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia Minor in a relatively short period of time. That should be a solemn reminder for those who do not believe that Islam could become a major power in the West.

While dhimmitude and shari'a may seem like relics of a bygone era, they are actually alive and well throughout the Middle East. In Saudia Arabia, for example, evangelism of any kind is strictly forbidden and Christians are persecuted for their faith. Egyptian Copts are shot, stabbed, bombed, and forced to watch their churches burn to the ground (remember, under shari'a Christians cannot repair or rebuild destroyed churches) and yet the world stands by and blames the problem on "sectarian violence." In Iraq, the Chaldean Christians have suffered heavily after the fall of Saddam Hussein (who used the Christians as political balance against Islamists) and receive no help from American or allied troops in the country. Indonesia has been so racked by violent attacks against non-Muslims that even the U.N. has shaken off enough of its stupor to take notice. In Europe, multi-culturalism has morphed into self-imposed dhimmitude that seeks to punish those who speak the truth about Islam's supremacist nature. Before you think that America is exempt, a recent study by the Center for Security Policy has revealed the use of shari'a in court cases from 23 states, ranging from California to Florida. And who can forget the classic dhimmitude of Comedy Central who, to avoid offending Muslim sensibilities and without a hint of irony, decided to censor an episode of South Park that was specifically written to mock Muslim censorship?

During the Cold War, the saying, "Better dead than Red!" was popular in America. This, of course, was referring to the ideological conflict with the Soviet Union as well as Communist sympathizers at home (collectively known as "Reds") that threatened to turn into a shooting match at any moment. While we were certainly blessed that full-scale war never broke out between the two nations, the generation that matured during World War II and the Korean War knew that death in defense of the American ideal of freedom was better than a long life of cowardice and surrender. So what has happened to us today, under a very different but very real threat? Have we lived so long in peace and prosperity that we refuse to sacrifice our comfort to defend our values? Are courage and honor mere buzzwords, nice to hear as long as they require no real commitment from us? Or can we take a stand for what is right, call evil by its name, and declare to the world that enough is enough?

I say, "Better dead than dhimmi!" And I am not alone.