“Confining all the discrimination and struggle to a narrow umbrella of religion–seems hasty and immature.”

Precisely what I am saying!

“…and if you think that’s an exaggeration just look at how black players are treated in soccer matches with gorilla sounds made by audiences and bananas thrown on them during matches”

Seriously?!!!! Did this actually happen?

This is simply untrue. Europeans are a paranoid racist lot with a despicable record of terrorism, colonial and barbarism around the world. It is not simply about Muslims, but anyone who is not white. I speak from personal experience as a Hindu who’s been to Europe many times to visit friends and family.
Most Europeans express openly racist beliefs, and if you think that’s an exaggeration just look at how black players are treated in soccer matches with gorilla sounds made by audiences and bananas thrown on them during matches.

Europeans are a racist, disagreeable, mean and nasty group of people who can’t get along with anybody. History is a testament to this.

If the Swiss banned a minaret, its more an architectural issue primarily I think. There’s no ban on practising or propagating Islam..and the repeated statement that “the swiss banned minarets” makes the “mobocratic” groups who cant even locate Switzerland on a map–to vandalise the streets, jump into the fray and demonise the Swiss as if they are out to kick the muslims out of Switzerland. How many of these “opposers” understand the intricacies of the Swiss democracy based on referendum? Even to build a bridge, lay a road, raise a tax or permit a big complex…the Swiss have referenda. And the level of participation differs from one canton to another.

The essay also seems to assume that every immigrant is by default a ‘Muslim’. Maybe they comprise the largest group, but this no way identifies the struggles faced by immigrants on a day to day or a long term basis–whether Islamic or not. Confining all the discrimination and struggle to a narrow umbrella of religion–seems hasty and immature.

I also think that the communities stop playing the “victimhood” drama in each and every incident happening…not only in Europe, but all over the world, and start getting a life, appreciate and respect the host’s cultures and concentrate on larger issues of life.

“A consensus between European and Islamic values would go a great distance in bridging the gap that seems to have opened up between the Islamic and Western world in the past decade.”–this line fails to clarify as to how European values are a hindrance to “bridging the gap”–being a non-European, I still consider the levels of laws and principles (Rule of Law) in Europe definitely among the highest in the world.

I am not supporting any of the groups here…I would just say each of the groups need a deep introspection before pointing the finger at the other.
Peace.