The world is becoming a terrifying place. A look through the pages of any newspaper will say this. On the international platform however, the chief terror is not violence, it is not poverty, and it is not a few sick swine. No, the curse word of the world has become Islam.

In Sweden we see the Sweden Democrats party for the first time in their history winning seats in the country’s parliament. This is a political party who openly boasted being against the “Islamification” of their nation that now holds 20 of the nation’s 349 parliamentary seats.

France, once the purported nation of high culture, has seen fit to ban burqas entirely (going so far as to implement fines for wearing a burqa in public).

Of all the nations however, the worst offender has become the United States of America. While the U.S. has neither banned burqas nor seen candidates who openly advertized as being against Islam, it has committed a far greater crime. It has forgotten it’s history to such a degree as to be considered hypocritical.

Perhaps such things are easily forgotten by the American populace in this era where the humdrum of day to day survival in a struggling economy is more than enough on its own to occupy a person’s thoughts. However, there was a time at the foundation of this country when men and women gave sweat and blood to create a place in which citizens of all faiths would be welcome.

Instead, America has become a nation where a man receives cheer and applause for threatening to burn piles of sacred texts. Instead, America has become a nation where a newspaper publishes an apology for its coverage Ramadan. Instead, America has become a nation that is criticized by the United Nations for portraying Muslims as terrorists, extremists, and a menagerie of other buzz words.

Nobody has forgotten 9/11. The smoke and flame billowing from the towers of the World Trade Center is a haunting image that few Americans have not witnessed. During what should have been a time for Americans to band together, lines were drawn instead. Whether for fear or for a different reason, the reality is that in the time since the terrorist attacks of September 11 many Americans have come to view all of Islam as guilty in some capacity for the attacks. There is no excuse for such a degree of ignorance.

The United States of America was once a great nation. It was an example to countries all around the world that no matter a person’s color or creed they could still stand side by side as brothers and sisters. But, when in a country that enjoys some of the most extensive civil rights of any nation, the people of a particular faith are viewed for ignorance’s sake as some sort of hostile faction, that greatness dims and everybody becomes the less for it.