Time for atheists to take a hard look at ourselves

[Robert Prewitt]

130. The Republican Party is not the same thing as "Muslims"

That's not an apt comparison. The legitimate comparison would be would I stop condemning all Republicans for the actions of other horrid members of their group, and I would. Like many, if not most, of the Democrats on this site, I have Republican friends and family members. They are all wonderful people, if terribly ideologically misguided. Although I will rightfully criticize the Republican party and politicians, I would never engage in discourse suggesting individual republicans are inherently flawed or dangerous.

That's exactly what Maher did when he suggested "200 million muslims" would cheer on the Hebdo murders. That's the kind of talk that makes the less mentally discerning--and often dangerous--look at Muslims (and American Muslims) as dangerous. Sam Harris did the same with his "Mother Lode of bad ideas" comment. It implied all people subscribing to that "Mother Lode" were infected with such bad ideas and should be observed and treated with scrutiny.

So, keep criticizing the Republican Party and other reprehensible groups, but engaging in condemnation of all individual members of those and less heinous groups is reprehensible itself.