re: #291 Killgore Trout

I would also add that Western Muslim sympathy towards the Palestinians and the tactics they use (terrorism, sorry but there is no other word for it) has been a major factor in marginalizing and radicalizing Western Muslims. Not all American Jews are “supporters of Israel” and there should be more variety in opinion among Western Muslims. I think just being able to have the conversation would help a lot.

I agree, just being able to talk about it (calmly) would help a great deal. I don’t know that so many Western Muslims have sympathy for terrorism so much as they have sympathy for Palestinians as fellow Muslims, but I don’t doubt that it’s the more extreme elements whose voices are the loudest, as always seems to be the case.

Some of those feelings Western Muslims have are due to ignorance, and some no doubt due to a knee-jerk reactions to any criticism of Islam/Muslims from what is perceived as a hostile press and culture that seems to reject them.Resentment may not a good excuse, but it seems like a fact (at least amongst some of the people I know).