Reply #2: There is a lot of information about Islam in this country. [View All]

[megatherium]

Americans are well aware of the treatment of women in Islamic countries, the harsh and repressive laws against Christianity and other religions in Islamic countries, and so forth.

But what Americans are not as aware of are the large number of Muslims who believe in peace and tolerance, and who understand the common grounds of all the great faiths. Americans may not be aware of all the Muslims who have come to the US because they want to live in an open, tolerant society where the laws protect minorities. Certainly, I wasn't aware of this until I went to graduate school and began my career in academia, where I met and became friends with a number of Muslims.

Very soon after 9/11, I met an old friend from where I used to teach. This friend happens to be Jewish. I was deeply impressed when he told me of his own efforts to reach out to the Muslim community in that college town, to help assure them that they were welcome and that he and their neighbors were concerned about their well-being.