Funny, but I was never taught much about Islam. But in later years I observed their vicious treatment of others and the hideous treatment of their own women. So if you call a rational decision to oppose viciousness, cruelty and stone-age ignorance “bigotry” then so be it. I still oppose it.
We surveyed Islam in Catholic high school religion class, in 1964. My impression was that is was presented as just another religion, that claimed to complete Christianity. In other words, Islam stood in relation to Christianity approximately were Christianity stood with respect to Judaism. It was not presented as in the least negative, simply another false religion like Hinduism or Lutherans, who needed to become Catholics.
I’ll bet that neither James Carroll nor anyone else on the staff of the Boston Globe ever took course on “Junkyard Dog 101” while in college. However, even these elite progressives might react properly if one night they found themselves dropped inside the fence of “Bubba’s U-Pull-It Automotive Salvage Lot”.
If Bubba’s canine security associates were placed inside the apartment of James Carroll and a loaded shotgun placed in James’ hands, he would probably forget his membership in PETA and his lifelong belief the “violence never solves anything”!
Any takers on that bet?
Same principle, James!