Islamophobia in Europe

“In the US, the controversy over the proposed Islamic center near ground zero has brought some of the most visible instances of public Islam-bashing, mostly on the right side of the political spectrum—a departure from the line taken by President Bush after 9/11 not to equate Islam with terrorism. But in Europe a pushback against immigrants, many of whom are Muslim, has been under way for much longer. A postwar Europe long priding itself on cosmopolitan tolerance is facing a population seen as different—at a time of concern about the economy, jobs, and when mainstream Europe isn’t quite sure about its security and its future.”