Islamists, on the other hand, are so by profession of faith. They have chosen to adhere to the doctrines, dogmas and dictates of the Islamic faith and its leadership.

Indulge me for a moment as I refer to an old Baptist Minister friend's estimation of the Mission Field – he felt there were 3 separate fields to be reached. The "heathen" (not an insult, but a reference to those living in places where they have never had opportunity to hear the Gospel); the "unchurched" (which he defined as those who had been exposed to the gospel but had not committed to it); and the "Churchgoing Heathen" (which he also referred to as "Pew Polishers" – those who's butts occupied the seats but whose hearts were elsewhere.) He felt that the IN-Reach to the churchgoer who was committed to attendance but not to God or the Bible was the most important mission field, because these people were nominally Christian but were both self-deceived and would receive a rude awakening… and because they were CALLED Christians by the rest of the world, but they were a poor representative of Christ.

Why did I bring this up in a discussion of Islamophobia?

Because just as there are both faithful and committed Christians – and nominal Christians who wear a cross but are not committed to the doctrines, dogmas and dictates of Christianity… There are Islamists who are the faithful, committed adherents to Islamic teaching, and there are the Muslims who have nominal connection to Islam culturally, but who have less than a personal commitment to full "submission" (The word "ISLAM" means "submission") to all the tenets of the faith. There are Orthodox Jews who are seen dressed in black and wearing ear-locks as they walk to Sabbath Services... and there are nominal Jews who will jokingly refer to themselves as merely "Jewish from the waist down"!

The subject of this discussion is NOT the nominal Muslim who lives his life; makes a living; provides for his family and lives in peaceful co-existence with his neighbors whether they share his faith or not.

The Islamist, by virtue of his commitment to the doctrines taught in the Quran, is and MUST BE what is commonly referred to as a "radical" by the Politically Correct Media. Radicalism and Jihadism is the NORM amongst FAITHFUL Islam; as it cannot be otherwise! Muslims who are NOT committed to Jihad – who reject the idea of Dhimmitude, conversion, or death for all "infidels" – who are willing to peacefully engage with the western world – are APOSTATES to the "pure" teaching of Islam. They are "churchgoing heathen" in the eyes of the Islamic world.

So, we discuss here those who fit the above-defined "ISLAMIST".

While the Islamic world (and our own liberal press) will cast those who question the motives or oppose the actions of Islamists as "Islamophobic" (and therefore bigotted xenophobes), let me point out the obvious:

If you use TERROR to advance your agenda… and your "philosophy" is responsible for more than 90% of ALL terror acts worldwide for the last several decades; then why would you cry "ISLAMOPHOBIA!" when the rest of the world is leery of you? ISLAM-O-PHOBIA = fear of Islam. Isn't the very point of Terrorism to instill fear? Mission accomplished, Jihadis! As the joke in Psychiatric circles goes… "It isn't paranoia if they really ARE after you, y'know!"

Americans have learned, from the experiences of Israel from 1948 to the present; from the Lebannon Barracks bombing; from the Achille Lauro hijacking, from Lockerbie, from the USS Cole; from the first WTC bombing in 1993, to 9/11 to the beheading of Daniel Pearl, to the Ft Hood massacre and more: Islamists will utilize terror against innocents to advance their agenda. They have also become familiar with the dictates of the Quran demanding the violent subjugation of those who do not willingly accept and submit to Islam. So is there any wonder that we are at least cautiously apprehensive when it comes to dealings with the "faithful" within Islam?

Let me again emphasize here that I have NO BEEF with the common Muslim who lives his life in obscurity. However it is impossible to co-exist peacefully with one who embraces the Fundamental Wahhabist , Caliphate seeking, Jihadist mindset of the Islamist. As I try to tell my liberal acquaintances sporting that goofy "COEXIST" bumper-sticker… Coexistence is ONLY possible if none of the parties is fatally committed to the utter destruction of any other!

So, then; Are Americans Islamophobic? Well, in a word, YES! We have a healthy caution; a leery apprehension; a distrust and suspicion when it comes to those who claim adherence to Fundamental Islam.

Are Americans Bigoted Xenophobes because the above statement is true? Judge for yourselves – but I think not.