Conversion by the sword as a practice in Islam goes back to Muhammad himself. A look at the last hundred years or so of history in the majority-Muslim world reveals that a lot of those places, like Lebanon, were not majority Muslim a hundred years ago, but have become so since, by conversion or simply by driving non-Muslims out - or killing them.
There are a lot of voices in Europe right now, in the Continent and in the British Isles, proclaiming the need to do just that in these nations that were primary drivers of the spread of Western civilization.
Now, in the United Kingdom, there is a new and troubling trend developing: The forced conversion of mostly-white prison inmates by Muslim prison gangs.
Ministers have been urged to investigate a surge in white prisoners being forced to convert to Islam by Muslim gangs.
Ministry of Justice (MoJ) data show that one in five Muslims in prisons in England and Wales is white, nearly four times the rate of 5.8 per cent in the general population.
The number of Muslim prisoners in jails in England and Wales has also increased and accounts for nearly one in five (18 per cent) of the prison population, despite making up 6.5 per cent of the general population.
The figures have been revealed by Nick Timothy, the shadow justice secretary, who urged the Government to investigate and stamp out forced conversions.
It's unclear what can be done to "stamp out" these forced conversions other than segregating Muslim prisoners, which in Britain, honestly, isn't going to happen. And these reported forced conversions seem to be directly focused at white inmates: In other words, ethnic Europeans.
This isn't a coincidence. Somebody thought this through. This is a plan, a plan that is being executed in the British prison system, a plan which the British government can do little about.
It follows reports by government advisers highlighting concerns that gangs in some jails are ordering prisoners to convert to Islam or face violence.
“The percentage of Muslims who are white in our prisons is so vastly higher than in the general population it raises serious questions,” said Mr Timothy.
“We know that experts have warned repeatedly about forced conversions taking place behind bars, driven by Islamic gangs.
It's a growing problem, not only in the United Kingdom and (likely) the rest of Europe. It may well be an issue in the United States as well.
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While there are few reports of actual forced conversion in American prisons, there are some troubling numbers.
First, the percentage of Muslim prison inmates is already considerably higher than the percentage of Muslims in the general (free) population. The inmate population is reported to be around nine percent Muslim, whereas the general population is about one percent - for now. We might note that this population is growing, and quickly, by immigration and by birthrate. But the growth in prison populations is more troubling, considering the kind of people you tend to find in those places.
Second, the majority of Muslims in American prisons appear to have been converted while incarcerated; some reports cite numbers as high as 80 percent. There are few reliable reports of forced conversions in the prison system here in the United States, but it's a safe bet that it happens. In the United Kingdom, the known forced conversions seem to focus on ethnic Brits (or at least, white inmates) while here, it's much less clear that any particular group is targeted.
Why is this a problem? Well, here's why, and I'm going to tell you: In converting prison inmates, these Muslims are in effect bringing in the very worst people from our society. There is a lot of talk about inmates finding peace and purpose through their conversion, and on that you can color me skeptical; the kinds of people who are incarcerated in our state and federal penitentiaries aren't known for being the most peaceful and purposeful people around.
The problem is finding a solution to the problem. Any attempts by any state or by the federal government to segregate Muslim inmates won't pass constitutional muster; it would be, by definition, discrimination based on religion, which the First Amendment forbids. The First Amendment also promises us freedom of conscience, which means people are free to believe as they please.
In other words, people are free to proselytize, and free to convert, even in prison. The problem is that there is only one major religion that is like the famous Hotel California: You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.
As I've pointed out before, there is a major clash coming. It's likely to be worldwide, and it's likely to have aftereffects that may determine the course of history for hundreds of years. And now, it appears that some of the opening rounds of this clash are being fought in our prison system.
