Where to even start...

Here's a news flash:

RIYADH, 21 June 2006 — A survey conducted by Cornell University recently found that around half of Americans have a negative view of Islam...

Now, I can think of a number of reasons that might be, from the events of Sept. 11, 2001, to the steady drumbeat of violence in the name of Islam. Violence, by the way, that never seems to be directly and explicitly condemned by those who preach about tolerating the self-proclaimed Religion of Peace. Such condemnation might go a long way toward convincing Americans these actions are indeed the work of a twisted minority, and not simply the result of Islamic teachings taken to their logical conclusion.

But rather than issue such condemnation, groups like the Council on American-Islamic Relations think we just need "more education." This is nothing more than a new twist on the chant of Oz's wicked witch: "Public Relations....Public Relations will put them to sleeeeeep....."

The linked article is also interesting for mentioning a former U.S. Congressman commenting in Riyadh that "a cancer of anti-Muslim and anti-Islamic sentiments is spreading in American society," and for noting CAIR's media blitz is expected to be financed in part by Prince Alwaleed ibn Talalonce, who recently started a satellite channel to "project Islam as a religion of peace and tolerance." That's "Prince" as in member of the royal family of Saudi Arabia. You know, our good friends. Home of most of the 9/11 hijackers...

Good thing for them the West seems to prefer advertising flair to substance. I mean, who KNOWS how intolerant we might become if we started letting actions speak louder than (empty) words?