Just by reading a post by another blogger.....

Extremism in any religion or way of life is bad. But its always islamic extremism thats thrust into the limelight. I have never sat at a mosque and heard "anti-west" propaganda, but the last time I sat in a mosque was years ago...

My only encounter with islamic extremists was during my days at the university of london and there were lots of crackpots there. I used to bump into them when I went to pray, but they gave up on trying to bring me in because they thought I was a lost cause, with my tight jeans and partying ways.... Anyway, I heard lots of stories about them, standing outside campus preaching that homosexuals will go to hell, entering the student bar and telling all the half drunk students that the burning fire of hell is at their door (erm, any good muslim will know that you can't even enter a bar). Anyway, I know from first hand that extremism in islam exists. And my interpretation is that these people have a grudge against the west and perhaps a grudge against life. Because islam makes it clear, and anyone here doubts me, go and read the quran for yourselves... no violence, only in self protection, and if you don't like the place you live becuase you feel you are being discriminated against, then leave, thats your islamic duty.

Personally, as a conservative british muslim who has lived here for all my life, I feel that its not perfect here, but at least I have the freedom to practise my religion (as do others) without major obstacles. People at work understand that I don't go to social events around alcohol. I am allowed to wear my headscarf. And although its hard, I am allowed to do that still. So I am grateful for that. There are some muslim countries that don't allow women to wear headscarves full stop eg. turkey and other muslim countries that discriminate against women who wear a headscarf like morocco, algeria etc.. so I am happy to be a law abiding muslim.