And, Westerners view Muslims much the same way. The demagogues are having a grand time dehumanizing the ordinary people on both sides.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HF24Ak02.htmlWASHINGTON - The world views of Muslims and Westerners in many respects are mirror images, according to the results of a major new survey, which suggests that European Muslims, who held the most tolerant views, could be a bridge between the two groups.
"Many in the West see Muslims as fanatical, violent and ... lacking tolerance," according to an analysis of the survey by the Washington-based Pew Global Attitudes Project. "Muslims in the Middle East and Asia generally see Westerners as selfish, immoral and greedy as well as violent and fanatical."
The Pew analysis concluded that Muslims held "an aggrieved view of the West - they were much more likely than Americans or Western Europeans to blame Western policies for their own lack of prosperity. For their part, Western publics instead pointed to government corruption, lack of education and Islamic fundamentalism as the biggest obstacles to Muslim prosperity."
In many respects, the two groups hold mirror images, however. When asked to choose among a list of negative traits, Muslim and non-Muslim respondents saw in the other group, the survey found, that Muslims in the Middle East and Asia - often by large majorities - generally viewed Westerners as selfish, arrogant and violent. European Muslims, particularly those in France and Spain, however, tended to be far less damning about the traits of non-Muslims than in predominantly Muslim countries.