Islamophobia

In modern usage, Islamophobia is a prejudice against all Muslims, often associated all with Jihadist thinking. It has been used as a rough equivalent of antisemitism. Specific criticism of violent radicals, however, is not as general.

Certain interest groups raise the specter of any Muslim presence, and definitely any Islamist thinking whether legal or violent, as a harbinger of terrorism and theocracy. While there are unquestionably dangerous militants, overgeneralizing can be a form of demagoguery for political advantage.

Concerns over hypersensitivity

Bernard Lewis, an authoritative scholar of Islam, said, at the 2008 meeting of the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa

“a degree of thought control and limitations of freedom of expression without parallel in the Western world since the 18th century, and in some areas longer than that.

"Due to post-modernist thought, the current, combined orthodoxies of multiculturalism and political correctness, and a 'clash of disciplines,' primarily between historians and Arabic linguists, which have undermined the serious, objective study of Islam."

Lewis continued,

It seems to me it’s a very dangerous situation, because it makes any kind of scholarly discussion of Islam, to say the least, dangerous. “Islam and Islamic values now have a level of immunity from comment and criticism in the Western world that Christianity has lost and Judaism has never had.

Specific objections to Islam and Islamic culture

Some differences are seen in Europe and in North America, in part because national culture and identity is important in Europe, while the "melting pot" of an open civilization still appeals to many Americans.

Europe

It has been suggested that some of the opposition in Europe is more to immigrants who do not conform to prevailing culture, and the immigrants are principally Muslim. In this model, the immigrants were originally seen as guest workers who had no need to assimilate. Once, however, when they took up permanent residence and asserted their culture, this was a much deeper threat than in the U.S.

The Islamic challenge that Europe faces today is twofold. Internally, Europe must integrate a ghettoized but rapidly

growing Muslim minority that many Europeans view as encroaching upon the collective identity and public values of European society. Externally, Europe needs to devise a viable approach to the primarily Muslim-populated

volatile states,

United States

Some parts of the American right consider Islam to be an existential threat, while others still hold to religious freedom as a high traditional value.

Robert Spencer, one of those prominent in ideological criticism, had his book, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam, reviewed by The Financial Times. They described him as "...a hero of the American right...Like any book written in hatred, his new work is a depressing read."

Conservative blogger Pamela Geller said "I believe in the idea of a moderate Muslim. I do not believe in the idea of a moderate Islam... I think a moderate Muslim is a secular Muslim." New York Times reporter Anne Bernard, Geller asked, "so you’re saying if someone is a devout Muslim, meaning if he or she is practicing and believing in the tenets of Islam, they cannot in your view be a political moderate?" Geller responded with a simple "no".

Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips attacked Rep. Keith Ellison (R-Minnesota) for being Muslim. According to the Washington Post, "Phillips came under fire Wednesday [29 October] after publishing a column through Tea Party Nation's Web site in which he urged voters in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District to support independent candidate Lynne Torgerson over Ellison. Phillips said in the column that Ellison's Muslim faith as well as his liberal voting record and his support for sending federal funds to "terrorists in Gaza" were reasons to vote him out of office." Ellision was quoted as writing (spelling corrected and emphasis added)

There are a lot of liberals who need to be retired this year, but there are few I can think of more deserving than Keith Ellison. Ellison is one of the most radical members of congress. He has a ZERO rating from the American Conservative Union. He is the only Muslim member of Congress. He supports the Council on American Islamic Relations, Hamasand has helped congress send millions of tax dollars to terrorists in Gaza."