In the 1970's or so, there was a high level of concern among the parents of adult children that they would join a cult, cut off all ties to their families and live in a manner contrary to the values they were raised with. Much debate was had over the legal definition of a "cult" and when (if ever) parents could have their adult children kidnapped and "de-programmed". That issue has never been satisfactorially resolved, but the public was able to grasp the analysis has to begin with the right of the adult child to worship and live as they choose.
I don't see this debate as much different. When American Muslims break the law by funding terrorist groups, they should be punished. When they break the law by abusing a woman or a child, they should be punished. But to fear people who have yet to show any inclination to do either and to try and pass "preventive legislation" against lawful acts that arouse our anxiety seems to me to be a return of the sort of bigotry and harrassment of a minority that the US has always (ultimately) rejected.
The Roman Catholics, the Muslims, the Druids, the Buddhists, the Hindus, the Taoists, the Protestants, the Jews, and (pick your religious group of choice) have been co-existing in the USA and much of the world quite peacefully for some time now. But of all of them, it is the Muslims who demand or request special dispensation for their brand of 'law' whether or not it runs contrary to the law of the land.
There have been fanatics, wierdos, and crazies from all these groups, but Islam stands pretty alone in having a list like this to its credit:
LIST OF MAJOR ISLAMIC ATTACKS & PLOTS ON AMERICA…before 9/11
Some people ignore that Islamics have been attacking the United States long before September 11, 2001.
Here is just a sampling:
1979 Iran Hostage Crisis: seizure of US Tehran Embassy, Iran (Nov 4, 1979 for 444 days)
1983 Bombing of US Beirut Embassy, Lebanon (April 18, 1983)
1983 Bombing of US Marine barracks, Beirut, Lebanon (Oct 23, 1983)
1983 Bombing of US Kuwait Embassy (Dec 12, 1983)
1984 Bombing of US Beirut Embassy (again) (Sept 20, 1984)
1984 Kuwait Airlines Flight 221 hijacked to Tehran – American passengers murdered (Dec 3, 1984)
1985 Hijacking TWA Flight 847 hijacked to Beirut (June 14, 1985)
1985 Hijacking cruise ship Achille Lauro, wheelchair-bound American is thrown overboard & killed (Oct 7, 1985)
1986 Bombing Berlin disco frequented by US servicemen (April 5, 1986)
1988 Bombing Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, 100′s murdered (Dec 21, 1988)
1993 First bombing World Trade Center, New York City, 7 Killed, 1,042 wounded (Feb 26, 1993)
1993 Foiled NY Landmarks plot by Omar Abdel Rahman to blow up the Holland and Lincoln tunnels
and other New York City landmarks
1993 Attempted Assassination of Pres. Bush Sr. during visit to Kuwait (April 14, 1993)
1993 Black Hawk Down: shot down US helicopters in Mogadishu, Somalia,
during Operation Restore Hope (Oct 3-4, 1993)
1994 Plot to assassinate President Clinton during visit to the Philippines
1995 Failed Project Bojinka by Ramzi Yousef to blow up a dozen US airliners over the Pacific (end in Jan 1995)
1995 Bombing US military headquarters, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Nov 13, 1995)
1996 Bombing Khobar Towers, Saudi Arabia, housing U.S. foreign military personnel (Jun 25, 1996)
1998 Bombing U.S. Nairobi Embassy, Kenya, Africa (Aug 7, 1998)
1998 Bombing U.S. Dar es Salaam Embassy, Tanzania, Africa (Aug 7, 1998)
1999 Foiled LAX Millennium plot by Ahmed Ressam to bomb Los Angeles International Airport
(Ressam was arrested at US Canadian border)
2000 Failed USS The Sullivans bombing that was refueling in the port of Aden, Yemen. (Jan 3, 2000)
2000 Bombing USS Cole in the port of Aden, Yemen, 17 U.S. Navy sailors murdered (Oct 12, 2000)
(The USS Cole was not engaged in any combat during this period)
2000 Bombing plaza across from US Manila Embassy (Dec 30, 2000)
2001 9/11 attacks: World Trade Center, Flight 93, Pentagon, 3000+ murdered (Sept 11, 2001)
Since 9/11, I believe some 16,000+ terrorist attacks in the name of various Islamic groups has been documented.
No other religion demands that the Earth be placed under command of their deity.
No other religion demands death to the infidels (non-believers) and promises a certain path to heaven for those who kill infidels.
This stuff isn't happening among large groups of little old ladies, Nuns, Buddhist monks, Indian Shamans, or Christian groups. Most religions operate on a principle of attraction, not force. Have they all always been that way? No. But they have all been mostly that way in the 20th Century and beyond.
Islam stands alone firmly stuck in the dark ages.
Having said that, I have no quarrel with Muslims and enjoy that I have Muslim neighbors and have had Muslim colleagues and coworkers and employees, one Muslim boss, and currently have observed excellent Muslim healthcare providers in action. You won't find any more fun loving or delightful people anywhere than Iranian people. Singly or in small groups, Muslims are just people trying to get along in the world as most people do.
But in larger numbers, Muslims feel empowered to request or push for concessions to their faith.
And in large majorities, Muslims deny any others opportunity to proselyte Muslims and many if not most personal freedoms or ability to openly express another religion are sharply curtailed. Women are subjugated to chattel status, and nobody is safe from the wrath of the Iman if he or she should sin.
This simply is not the case with any other religion these days, and this, and that long list of terrorist activity up there, is why Islam is not in strong favor with freedom loving people these days.
I am pretty sure that if they had it to do over again, neither France nor the U.K. nor several other nations would be so accommodating to the swelling populations of Muslims in their midst. It is not going well for them.
