Just a Word

I discovered the word, EXTORTION the other day in the dictionary. I had heard the word used many times in various settings and I thought I knew what the word meant. I had sort of a vague image of business crimes involving falsified books and things like that. However when I, out of curiosity, looked up this interesting word in the dictionary, I was intrigued. I started thinking about some of the places where I had heard the word and I eventually discovered something quite unexpected.

The modern, standard definition of the word 'extortion' is: The illegal use of one's official position or powers to obtain property, funds, or patronage. Thus, we hear of this crime often in connection with politics and big business. Truthfully, the crime is so common in today's world that we hardly bat an eye when we hear of it in the news. Those who indulge in it are nothing but thieves, but their position seems to lend an air of sophistication to their crime which in turn tends to allow for an easier public forgiveness. But it wasn't this word's connection with politics that interested me in the first place, it was something else.

Historically, extortion has also meant: The act of securing money, favors, etc. by intimidation or violence; blackmail. This broad definition might imply the involvement of a whole host of crimes besides theft. For me, it also conjures up images of gangsters and organized crime. The air of sophistication seems to be absent in this definition and we see the crime in all it's blackness. We could easily imagine these criminals being put away for long periods of time in order to protect others from their criminal actions. Still, this definition does not reach the heart of the matter for me.

One more definition of the word 'extortion' offers additional insight, I believe, into the interesting nature of this crime and brings it a little closer to home. My online dictionary defines extortion as: An excessive or exorbitant charge. Who among us has not been the victim of this crime? In fact, I would say that this is often considered a necessity in today's world. People charge exorbitant prices in order to survive in a business world where everyone else is also charging exorbitant prices. One high price leads to another in an endless chain of 'getting ahead'. “Profit Margin”, “Price Gouging”, “Mark-up”, “Business Savvy” and “Marketing”; all common business practices, carry with them the expectation of great wealth at the expense of an innocent consumer. A businessman is considered “Smarter Than Average” if he can figure out a way to 'get it' from the consumer, faster and smoother than anyone else. But, there is more.

There is yet one more view of extortion I found, that paints an unforgettable picture. The etymology of the word 'extortion' is from the Latin extortionem, meaning: a twisting out. Also, from extorquere, meaning: to wrench out, wrest away, to obtain by force. It makes me think of Prince John in the old Disney movie, “Robin Hood” where Prince John tells the sheriff to “squeeze every last drop” of money out of the people. Have you ever been 'squeezed' like that, so to speak?

Biblically, it was considered a sin to practice extortion. Men who planted crops were counseled to leave in their fields all that the reapers had dropped during the harvest so the poor might go through and obtain food. The image of Ruth and Boaz comes to mind here. Then I came across a very disturbing passage in Ezekiel 16:49 that changed everything.

I was taught that immorality was a crime. I was led to believe that certain people and certain cities were destroyed by deity for such crimes. Then I read this passage in Ezekiel and had to change my mind. About the same time, I came across the writings of a man who was researching some recently discovered ancient texts. He said that they had found references to the 'cities of the plain' as being places of great wealth. However, he said that they were considered by surrounding peoples as greedy and selfish. In one account, it was said that they put nets over their fruit trees so that the birds could not eat up any of their profits. Strangers in their city were not taken care of, but taken advantage of. I discovered also, that throughout the last half of the old testament these crimes against the poor were continually denounced.

Today, extortion is probably the most widely committed crime against humanity and apparently it can also make you fairly unpopular in they eyes of heaven. It's easy to blame and point fingers at the images on our television, but instead of looking at the crimes of big business, politics and other people, we might examine our own lives more closely and find that we could indeed create a better world for ourselves and our neighbors by relieving oppression in all it's smaller forms.