Let's Do Something Then...

Submitted by Matthew J. Fleming (United States), Jan 4, 2003 at 13:03

It is with great appreciation that I write this e-mail comment. I am very thankful to Dr. Pipes for honestly accessing the impact of "jihad" throughout the world in general and addressing the plight of the Sudanese Christians and Animists in particular in his editorial "What is Jihad?". Hopefully the new "information age" we are living in will educate people about human rights abuses and encourage them to act to ameliorate the suffering of innocents throughout the world.

In March of 2001 I read an article in the New York Post by the columnist Rod Dreher discussing the horrorific treatment of the Sudanese people. I was so moved by the article I e-mailed the author who put me in touch with an organization that was working to help them. Several weeks ago I found this same article and reread it. Upon reading it again I was shocked by the numerous references to "jihad", "sharia", "Islamic regimes" throughout the article. When I first read the article with my pre 9-11 mentality these words and terms were obviously skimmed over and had little or no meaning. Now in the so-called different world in which we live the same article was both chilling and unsettling.

Forums like this one are invaluable. However I am writing to encourage everyone to at the least educate him/herself more fully about "jihad"'s effects and the very least and, hopefully, take some kind of action through one or more organizations that are working to help eradicate this odious suffering. I would suggest that instead of becoming anti-Muslim those of concerned about such things become pro-"dhimmi" ("Dhimmi" being a term for a non-Muslim under Islamic Law.). Allow me to suggest a number of pertinent websites: 1) An excellent and obviously little known website that discusses the contemporary plights of non-Muslims is www.dhimmi.com. There is a very important petition there that needs more signatures. 2) If interested in learning about the plight of "jihad"'s most numerous victims today, the above mentioned Christians of the Sudan, please look at www.iabolish.com. Here at this website there are numerous ways to help. 3) Christians are being persecuted throughout the world today both under Islamic and other dictatorial regimes. Learn about them and offer help through www.persecution.com. 4) The situation of the Palestinian Arabs is often portrayed in the media as the most pressing human rights situation in the world. Any person of good will desires an improvement in their situation. However, the mistreatment of the Sephardic Jews of Arab and Muslims lands is and has been unfairly ignored. Please try to learn about it at www.jimena-justice.org. I can say without hesitation that I would do anything personally to protect a Palestinian woman or child from Israeli aggression. However, it needs to be known that for the most part the treatment of Jews (and Christians) under Islam before the founding of Israel was hardly benign as Palestinian propagandists and apologists are so quick to mention. In closing I also encourage people to read anything by the Egyptian born author Bat Ye'or, a little known, but obviously a writer completely educated about "jihad".
In closing I send out wishes for a happy, prosperous, and healthy year to all.

Most sincerely yours,
Matthew J. Fleming

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