THE THREE DOLLAR NOTE
GREAT WOMEN OF THE PAST

In 2003, United States of Islam Three Dollar note was Stephen's first foray into political satire using moneyart. It was originally inspired by the start of the Iraq War. He asked the hypothetical question: What if the United States lost the war? Unthinkable to the average American, this concept is deeply unsettling. These Cautionary Tales have provoked deep emotions from all sides of the political spectrum.

THIS CERTIFICATE HAS NO VALUE BECAUSE
UNDER SHARI'A, WOMEN HAVE NO VALUE

When religious fundamentalism takes over the governance of a nation, terrible things can happen. We saw this in medieval Europe, in the Spanish Inquisition, and in the Salem witch trials. And now we see it in places like Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan, Indonesia and more. According to the Qu'ran, Shari'a, which is the legal system in an Islamic theocracy, is required to be established wherever Muslims live. In Muslim majority nations, shari'a applies to all citizens, whether they are Muslim or not.

This project asks another question as well: What real threat does militant Islamic Fundamentalism pose to this country and the world? This is a complex and emotionally charged issue, with propaganda on both sides. If we are to believe the Right, Islam is rapidly growing and bent on world domination. But if we listen to the Left, Islam is a religion of peace. This issue has polarized many Americans like no other in recent times. Current events demand that we examine all evidence, study history, and think with clarity.

The reverse of the Caliphate A note features Betsy Ross, Mother of the American Flag. The American flag represents freedom, and the knowledge that freedom must be fought for. There are many countries in the world living under shari'a and Islamic fundamentalism. Where shari'a exists as law, it is the law of the land, for Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

The Trail Guide for the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Sacagawea, is shown on the Caliphate B reverse. Sacagawea knew the land and had travelled far and wide. Under many applications of shari'a law, women cannot leave the house without male relatives to escort them. Under the Taliban, they were not even allowed on balconies, and all the houses' windows were painted black so nobody could see in.

The great American Champion of Women's Rights, Susan B. Anthony, is depicted on the reverse of the Caliphate C note. She dedicated her life to the equality of women, something that does not exist in shari'a law. Under shari'a, women are worth half of what a man is worth; this applies to all forms of family law, civil law, ownership of property, and in court testimony.

The United States of Islam Three Dollar note was originally released in 2003 as a black and white print. The design was recreated in color in 2008.