Help me here. In my small knowledge about Catholics; what a Pope sanctioned is right for Catholics. So considering Crusades and Inquisiton which was sanctioned by Popes in their time; Americans should have hard time respecting Catholic Christianity; if what you have said is true. As they were plainly murders based on religion differances. I might add Crusaders and Inquisition killed thousands of Jews and Muslims just because they were Jews and Muslims (to refresh your memory). In my opinion if there was no clergy in this world; the 3 religion who worshipped the same God would be one religion. And simply I can not really understand the reason of distinction. For example Christian Bogomil Sect and Muslim Bektasi sect much closer to each other then any other sect to their own religion group. But to a Bogomil, you will call Christian; to a Bektasi you will call Muslim. This is absurd. There are many Americans who do not respect a Muslim because he is a Muslim. Because they are told that all Muslims are evil. That is how things started in Nazi Germany, you know. That is the whole problem. America is fighting against a small group of fanatics but some Americans became to see every Muslim as a potential enemy and becoming fanatics.

"There are many Americans who do not respect a Muslim because he is a Muslim. Because they are told that all Muslims are evil. That is how things started in Nazi Germany, you know. That is the whole problem. America is fighting against a small group of fanatics but some Americans became to see every Muslim as a potential enemy and becoming fanatics." ----- I agree with your conclusion, but not necessarily your analysis. Catholics would be a bad example, because in America Catholics are non-violent. From an outward looking world viewpoint from an American perspective, Catholics are viewed as non-violent. People in America don't see Catholics killing other people because they are not Catholic. Inside America, Jews fall in the same category as Catholics. Jews in America are non violent as well, however the image of Jews suffers greatly in America because of Israel. There are a lot, and I am talking about millions of Americans, who look at Jews differently because they see Israel as a violent nation. It is one reason why many American's aren't excited about the American position with Israel. Americans understand the complexity, but Israel is without question very violent, and it has a profound effect on Jewish people in America. The same is true of Muslims in America. While Muslim's in America are non violent, they suffer from the same perception problem in America that Jews do. The violence in the Middle East represents Muslim's in America, when in fact it should not, the same way the violence of Israel represents the Jewish image in America, even though it should not. But I don't think it is as bad as you may believe. America is a melting pot. Instead of segmenting the population in America into different religious or ethnic groups like what they do in Europe, in America communities end up being mixed culturally, religiously, and ethnically. An example would be East Los Angeles, CA. Most people think East Los Angeles, California and immediately think of African-American culture. Well, that is correct, but not exactly. It turns out East Los Angeles, CA also represents the largest population in America of mixed racial/ethnic marriages, and also the largest concentration of mixed ethnic children in America. Two California Congressman recently discussed this in detail, pointing out that in the about a decade if they attempt to take a census in the area regarding the ethnic background of the children, the combinations might end up being Irish, German, Spanish, West African decent, or perhaps Muslim, Spanish, German, West African decent. The joke was, American or immigrant check boxes would be fine, otherwise they would have to devote an entire page to fill all the possible racial categories for the census. To the rest of the world, America might be some ethnically divided and challenged society due to our diversity, and there is a lot of mainstream media to support that type of rhetoric, in practice, America is perhaps the most diverse group of human combinations ever to exist in a single country, with the various combinations of ethnic and religious backgrounds in each generation redefining who we are into something new. That something new is basically without any definition other than "American." In our arrogance, we like to believe we take the best of every culture, every ethnic group, and every religion and it is what makes America so great, and forms the base for our power in the world. While there could be a good argument for that, the truth is we also take the worst of other ethnic groups, religions, and cultures and incorporate it into American society as well. As long as America continues to be a country of laws, and retains the ability to define right and wrong with a moral basis that promotes peace without the requirement of force, but allows for the use of force in preservation of laws and liberties, Americans will take the good and bad of other societies with the intention to grow and prosper from it. Keep in mind America is still only just over 200 years old, and every few generations redefine the standard of what is acceptable. By today?s standard, if Catholics ran around the planet killing Muslims and Jews, they would not find a friend in America. That type of behavior may have been acceptable when it was occurring, but it is because we learn from those actions that it would not be acceptable today. The desire to constantly improve our society based on past negative experiences to create a better future is core aspect of what it means to be an American. Doesn't always work in practice, but we do tend to eventually learn from our mistakes. Iraq is actually proof America is learning from past mistakes. America spent billions in weapons to avoid human causalities, causalities few other countries on the planet likely would have tried to avoid. America is also slowly learning how to work with Muslims. In the past (Lebanon would be an example), Americans would have left

Geebus, this thing has been on here for what, almost 2 full years now? Man, we need to find a new scab to pick at.

It should be debated daily!

From various authors in National Review: From British general Charles James Napier. Assigned to British-controlled India, Napier was told that he just didnt understand that wife-burning was a revered custom in India. He responded, in effect, that he understood perfectly: "My country has a custom as well." he said. "We HANG people who burn women." He proposed building a gallows next to every pyre. The wife-burning stopped. In our culture, we dont put up with violence and arson in response to speech. We're a funny people that way. The muslim street is like the peoples of our ghettoes who demand something that they call "respect" and which they extort by fear for lack of any other means by which to earn it. The only way they can cut a figure in the world is by terror. Economically, culturally, scientifically, artistically- they are non-entities - but they know how to be vicious, and that makes up for every other defect. If the world will not listen to their religious mumbo-jumbo, it will at least pay attention to its blood-curdling threats. Ask Theo van Gogh. It works. And you wonder why Muslims are treated with well-deserved contempt? swhitebull

I am about fed up with all of this crap about people and groups demanding respect. Have some self respect first and then maybe you will EARN the respect of others.

Have to agree with you there AlbanyRifles. I demand respect! I demand money! I demand a Pony! Not much difference. Respect is earned, not gained as a gift or by affiliation.

No further discussion. Submit.

Allah is a POS serial killer and child molester. Or was that Mo the prophet? I get those two goathumpin camel fellatiating disgraces to humanity confused. It's only a tiny, very small, fraction of extremists? BS. Even if it's just 10% of all Moslems, that's still 10% of one point four BILLION. Give or take a few... OVER THE EDGE, CL

I know its an old post and the peron who posted it probably long gone but i want to reply anyway. "The outrageous atrocities commited by Americans at the Abu al-Grayyib prison complex"-guess this is a matter of opinion. I think what happened there is unprofessional to say the least and any soldiers that violated US law should be punished to the full extent of the law but tell me, where were YOU and the rest of the worthless muslim community when Saddam was commiting attrocities against other muslims? thats what i thought. "...speaks to a need for the United States Americans to give sensetivity training to its entire military so that they will no longer offind Muslims " Uh no, we dont care and/or shouldnt care if muslims are offended. what makes you so special that we should walk on egg shells to appease your dirty, bloodthirsty masses? you gonna burn our flag? kill innocent civillians? chant death to the US? oh wait, you already do that and have been doing ot for decades. "so that they will no longer offind Muslims with the contemptious use of women as prison guards" How about muslims offending americans with your brutal oppresion of woman? just because you dirtbags are insecure about your sexuality doesnt mean you have to wrap your woman up, beat them, and control what they do. scumbags! "These things are offinsive to the Muslims community. Have you no shame? You must remove all women and homosexuals from contact with Muslim prisoners. This is offinsive." We need to remove islam from all contact with ALL children and the world in general because ITS offensive, intolerant, and brutal. The idea that muslims somehow deserver respect or else is ridiculous. what are you muslims going to do if you dont get your war? riot in your own streets? jump up and down in unison while chanting anti-western slogans? F off and die!!