Do Most Americans Hate Islam? from Planck's Constant

German American Bund parade in New York City on East 86th St. Oct. 30, 1939 / World-Telegram photo.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia

I often read comments from readers who mistakenly assume that most Americans hate Islam. This is not true. Before 9/11 if we asked the typical American, "Do you hate Islam?" the answer would have been one of the following:

What is Islam?
No, Islam is a religion just like Christianity.
Yes, but I hate every religion except mine.
Hate is the wrong word - I have read the Quran so I rightly fear Islam.

I believe back then 90% of Americans would have picked answers 1 and 2 simply because most Americans before 9/11 were completely ignorant of Islam, the Quran, and Muslims in general.

Most Muslims wrongly assume that Americans hate Muslims or hate Islam because most Muslims hate Americans and hate America so they think it is mutual. Sadly, even after 9/11 many Americans still do not fear Islam. The truth is, if the majority of Americans understood the threat posed by Islam, we certainly would not allow Muslims to live or come into our country.

Let me say something about bigotry. Hate or fear or intolerance of those of a different race, ethnicity, or religion is usually the result of ignorance. However, Islamophobia is the opposite - those who fear Islam do so as a result of knowledge. Americans who view Islam as just another religion do so from ignorance. They have not read the Quran and have no idea what Islam is truly about.

In the 1930s America allowed Nazis to come into our country, allowed them to hold fund-raising rallies for the Fatherland, let them publish magazines, and build youth camps because most Americans considered them as just another innocuous political group. This tolerance was the result of ignorance.

Sometimes things never change.

A small note about the Nazi parade image above - some Americans were so clueless about the threat posed by Nazism that they were saluting from the windows: