On June 2nd, a man was shot and killed by the Boston Police after pulling a knife on them. It was soon announced that the man was a Muslim, and that he had previously been investigated for involvement in acts of terrorism (CBS News). This was an odd and rare occurrence in Boston, one obviously detached from the city’s Muslim community. But many of Boston’s Muslims are being treated as though they were all close to this dangerous man.

At the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center, the Imam has received hundreds of calls from strangers asking if the man had prayed there regularly or if he was a part of the Mosque’s community (New York Times). The answer is “No.” A person so dangerous that acted so irrationally would have stuck out in the group of such peaceful, supportive people. Especially after the Boston Marathon bombing, our city’s estimated 70,000 Muslims have been under particular pressures. In a way, they are encouraged to hide their faith.

An organization ironically named Americans for Peace and Tolerance has loudly claimed both online and in newspaper ads that all of Boston’s Muslim institutions are headed by extremist terrorists. It is difficult to imagine the fright walking along a city street, knowing that there is a hate organization aimed directly at you. In fear of a nearly non­existent threat, many Americans, and now Bostonians, have created a real threat themselves.

If you heard that a man from Hingham pulled a knife on the police and then you found out that he was Catholic, would you call Saint Paul’s and question what they had taught him?