Theo van Gogh and Darfur

The fruits of Islamism were evident in two countries in recent days. In the Netherlands on Tuesday, film-maker, Theo van Gogh, was murdered in broad daylight by an Islamist of Dutch and Morrocan citizenship. In Sudan yesterday, forces controlled by the Arab Islamist government destroyed a Darfur refugee camp in yet another example of genocide. The events differ in scale and location, but are bound together by the common threads of bigotry, intolerance and persecution that are Islamism.

Theo van Gogh's most recent movie, Submission, portrayed Muslim women in violent and abusive marriages. The film was narrated by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali refugee turned Dutch polician, who survived an abusive marriage, renounced Islam, and lives under state protection from Islamist death threats. The film asserted that the theology and culture of Islam is misogynistic. For this message, Theo van Gogh was murdered.

The Darfur refugees in Sudan were attacked without warning. They may have considered themselves safe in a refugee camp with international observers on hand, but international observers are no protection from Islamism. Hundreds of refugees lost shelter and possessions to fire and rampage. They were beaten and in some cases shot because they are African and not Arabic, because they are Christian, or animist, or not Muslim enough.

Around the world, Islamists seek to impose the conditions of dhimmitude on non-Muslims. Dhimmitude does not permit questioning- van Gogh questioned and is dead. Dhimmitude requires submission- the Africans of Sudan are submitting with their lives. Islamism swallows freedom like night swallows day, and the world watches.