AmericanPapist Comments
that's horrible, can't their actions just tell them apart...
Badges? We don't need no stinking badges.
For hundreds of years dress codes were imposed upon Christians living under Ottoman rule. They were also banned from riding horses.
By the way, the Ottomans were Sunnite, the Iranian regime is Shiite.
Muslims have been doing this for a long time. From Dhimmi Watch:
"The dhimma is making a strong comeback in Iran. The idea that dhimmis must wear distinctive clothing so that they can be easily recognized as non-Muslims in Muslim societies goes back to the ninth-century caliph Al-Mutawwakil, and possibly earlier. Many Islamic apologists and politically correct historians would have us believe that such measures are a relic of history. They aren't."
And the following:
"This color coding also has deep roots in Islamic tradition regarding the treatment of the dhimmis. Although the colors assigned to each group sometimes change, the idea of a distinctive badge worn by the dhimmis is virtually as old as the dhimma itself. You can find abundant confirmation of this in Bat Ye'or's books."
This is full strength Islam and it's nothing new. If I were a Jew or Christian in Iran I'd take this as my sign and would beg, borrow or steal a car, donkey or boots to get out of there. If they wait for world opinion to save them they'll be doomed.
Apart from the badges to identify non-Muslims, I also think that the rest of the law, mandating "standard Islamic clothes" for Muslims, is pure totalitarianism. Even the Nazis didn't go so far as to try to regiment their own people through their clothing. The Chinese did, though - we all remember the standard blue "Mao suit" and cap that obliterated the individuality of the person wearing it. I know the Taliban banned makeup and nail polish, but maybe the Iranians have gone them one better here.
O.K., friends! We're dhimmis and we're proud! Pentecost is not long off, so find a bit of red cloth and make your own badge, in solidarity with your Christian brethren in Iran.
(And, Dymphna, I wouldn't recommend stealing anything in Iran, not even with the purpose of escape.)
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