HereForTheBeer: I get that, but let's not forget that these are individual people, just like you and me and everyone posting in this thread. I could say that the few Muslim folks I got to know should be just as you describe, but that wasn't the case, and so I urge folks to look a little deeper into the individuals instead of the generalized picture.
And I understand that not everyone is going to want to try to that, but what can it hurt? Might make some decent friends - or at least friendly acquaintances -
Dunno. I just think the generalization based on race / religion / where one comes from... it only fuels the mistrust, the bad relations, the fear.
Brussels, where I lived for five years, is the city I love best before Paris. And then maybe comes Scottsdale where I lived too.
In Bru it does not matter whom you are - at least for a Finn, in Paris having somewhat of a French which is still above the expected for Scandinavians in general did the trick; and in Scottsdale no-one cared, so to that extent one was free.
In any of these places I would not wish anyone to try and observe me because I am a Finn. At least only.
Maybe, if someone was a great Tolkien fancier, and knew Tolkien took inspiration from Kalevala, and Finnish for the elven language, and came to me, I would quite get it.
Only I would disappoint.
Yet you tire of generalisations, and simultaneously suggest that "Muslims" should be known as "Muslims" and that is individual? Like I should know Kalevala well, maybe, for a Tolken fan, as a Finn?
If these "Muslims" only saw themselves as such, I would not approach them for that. I do not like religion in public life at all, or as an over-arching identity that much, personally.
But also, you'd probably not suggest this benevolent and tolerant approach to get to know Catholics, to highlight that Catholics might be individuals, I suspect? And potential friends?
Maybe you are quite tolerant. Only, it should also apply close to home.