Reply #18: There Is A Difference

[iamjoy]

and it is subtle, but it does exist.

Most Americans are not that familiar with Muslims. Most Americans don't really know or understand Islam. We really aren't that familiar with it. By contrast, in the 1930's Americans were quite familiar with Germans. We had a lot of Americans of German descent living here, who still retained some of their German culture.

The reason that matters is, if you already know some Germans and witness a documentary on radical Germans, you know (not just intellectually, but emotionally) that not all Germans are like that. There is a greater tendency to dismiss the documentary as untrue.

Most Americans don't understand Islam. Prior to 9-11, most Americans didn't even know there were two kinds of Muslims (Sunni and Shia). I bet even today a lot of those who do know couldn't really tell you the difference between the two. We are incredibly ignorant about Islam and don't recognize the contributions it has made to our society. So, when we see a documentary on radical Islam, it is harder for Americans to separate the two and realize that this is not all Muslims, just some. Even if we recognize it intellectually, it is hard to accept emotionally. He

You want an example of our ignorance and reaction to the unfamiliar? After 9-11, Sikhs in this country were attacked. Why? Because they were wearing turbans and people thought they were Muslim. Americans actually thought turban = Muslim. Muslim = terrorist. But, I don't remember anyone attacking young Christian men after Timothy McVeigh bombed the Federal building in Oklahoma City.

So you see, there is a difference.