The thing that’s infuriating and dangerous about all of this is because it’s basically grassroots bigotry. After 9/11, we were all screaming for the moderate Muslims to speak out. After the cartoon rioting, we said, “Where are the moderates?” I was one of those people.

Since no one person really appeared, the likes of Spencer and Geller concluded they don’t exist, but that’s wrong. They do exist, but they live in our neighborhoods and communities. They are us. Just normal folks.

Our places of worship should be sponsoring more interfaith gatherings, dances, walks, bake-offs, whatever. Maybe it’s not as romantic and glamorous and CPAC with all its glory, but I think it’s the only thing to do if we ever hope to understand each other.