Tax Protest, 9/11 Style

By: Bilal A. Siddiqui

A Texas man disgruntled at excessive taxation in the US has rammed his small, single engined propeller airplane in the IRS (US tax collecting agency) building yesterday [1]. The fire caused extensive damage, but there was only one fatality besides the pilot. Apparently, the pilot left a suicide note explaining his motives [2].

Apparently the man had a long history of financial problems, only exacerbated by taxes [3]. He was angry at the capitalist system, tyrannical government, taxation and the Church [2].

The White House initially said the crash did not appear to be an act of  terrorism [4]. Does that mean it is only terrorism when the same act is perpetrated by Muslims?

Violent and bloody protests against taxation is nothing new, especially in the United States [5]-[6]. There have been 1,200 threat and assault case referrals from the IRS  between 2001 and 2008. The cases resulted in more than 167 indictments and at least 195 convictions [7]. The tax protest movement has had the support of various Christian militias in the US, e.g. Posse Comitatus and Montana Freemen.

There is little wonder that popular anger at the capitalist government’s “take from the poor, give to the rich” policy, illustrated in Micheal Moore’s Capitalism-A love Story, has boiled over to violence.

The Alternative:

Contrary to capitalist and communist models, Islam prohibits taxation on its Muslim populace [except 2.5% obligatory charity on surplus income] and limits it within acceptable bounds on non-Muslim subjects of the Islamic state [8],[9]. It encourages trade and abolishes interest based lending. Moreover, if a borrower does not have the means to pay back his loan [10], he is to be given respite until he is able to [Qur'an 2:280]. Gambling, selling things which you do not own,  underselling etc are all forbidden. As an alternative, Islam encourages trade and finds the balance between unbridled free economy (capitalist “laissez-faire ” model) and total government market-control (communist model).

For a more detailed analysis of the financial crisis from an Islamic perspective, please click here.