Bravo Sierra. While non-Muslims were not considered equal to Muslims, the Orthodox Christian community existed quite openly within the Ottoman Empire--it was not "secret."
And I reject your notion that the Muslims were the foulest of the bunch--the key to determining who the foulest of the bunch has always been to figure out who has power. When the Serbs had power, they were the foulest of the bunch. When the Croats were ascendant, the Croats were the foulest of the bunch. Now that the Kosovars have great power backing, they're the foulest of the bunch.
You will find that I am fair. As far as I'm concerned, they're all equally worthless.
Point taken. I was relying on what I had heard from my father-in-law, who is of Croation lineage. His parents were Catholic immigrants from that region and he has been very active in local Slovenian organizations. I have therefore met a number of people from the Balkans. When the trouble in Bosnia "began" (1991 or thereabouts), I recall several of those men describing how the Christians were subjugated in the areas held by the Turks.
I added "secret" for emphasis and it was too strong a word. Perhaps a statement that the Orthodox Christians often "chose to worship *quietly*" would have better described the situation.
And I reject your notion that the Muslims were the foulest of the bunch--the key to determining who the foulest of the bunch has always been to figure out who has power. When the Serbs had power, they were the foulest of the bunch. When the Croats were ascendant, the Croats were the foulest of the bunch. Now that the Kosovars have great power backing, they're the foulest of the bunch.
That don't confront me none, long as I get me rent paid by Friday. ;-) Okay, so they take turns playing King-Of-The-Mountain. The Christian factions might well be stomping on one another even without the jihadists running around. Hard to say for sure, isn't it?
You will find that I am fair. As far as I'm concerned, they're all equally worthless.
Hey, that reminds me of a quote from one of my favorite movies, Dirty Harry:
Gonzales: Why do they call ya 'Dirty Harry'?
De Georgio: That's one thing about our Harry, he doesn't play any favorites. Harry hates everybody. Limeys, (Beat) Mics, Hebes, Fat Dagos, Niggers, Honkies, Chinks, you name it.
Gonzales: How does he feel about Mexicans?
De Georgio: Ask him!
Callahan: Especially Spics.