Steve Russell: Terrorist group views Native people as pagans

Christians and Jews are considered “people of the Book,” and the Book of which they are people is the Quran. People of the Book are to be conquered but not killed, provided they submit to the Caliphate and pay jizya, which could be seen as either protection money or a tax on deviant beliefs. Because the people of the Book have been exposed to part of the truth, they already worship the One True God and all they need to do to deserve equal regard is accept that Muhammad is His prophet.

Which brings me to the status of American Indians, at least those who have not converted to Christianity. To Daesh, we are pagans, and fit only for slavery. They have the option to let us live if we grovel in a convincing manner, but our wives will be their concubines and our children will be their slaves.

The Caliphate recognizes no borders except the one between itself and the rest of the world. They are on a literal mission from God to rule the world. If they have not attacked us at home, the reason is because they can’t, not because they are willing to let us be.

The Daesh terror attack on Paris demonstrated capability to act on their expressed motive to reach unbelievers far beyond their borders. In Western Europe, overrun by refugees from Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen, the political atmosphere is much like the aftermath of September 11, 2001, except the unity forged by that attack is absent. Right-wing parties are gaining influence in France, Germany, and the Netherlands on a platform of scapegoating all Muslims and all Arabs.

In the United States as well, some politicians of national stature are stoking fear of Islam to offer themselves as best able to fend off the threat, a threat that is, we must recognize, real.