I am not sure that your description of pre-9/11 America (or even post 9/11 America) is entirely accurate or fair. Quite a few of us did know about Islam before September 11. And not all of us get all of our information from Fox News. Assuming we don't read and only get information from the news media, there was endless reporting on Islam during the first Persian Gulf War in 1990-91, not to mention the coverage on the taking of the US Embassy in Tehran. So, of course we had heard of the religion. And we don't all believe that all Muslims everywhere are trying to kill us. Look at how many interviews there have been since 9/11 on every network where we hear that "the word Islam means submission to God's will..." and on and on. The war was never on Islam. Rather it is on those who use Islam as an excuse to wage war on others. When will Muslims start taking back their own religion??
I am not sure that your description of pre-9/11 America (or even post 9/11 America) is entirely accurate or fair. Quite a few of us did know about Islam before September 11. And not all of us get all of our information from Fox News. Assuming we don't read and only get information from the news media, there was endless reporting on Islam during the first Persian Gulf War in 1990-91, not to mention the coverage on the taking of the US Embassy in Tehran. So, of course we had heard of the religion. And we don't all believe that all Muslims everywhere are trying to kill us. Look at how many interviews there have been since 9/11 on every network where we hear that "the word Islam means submission to God's will..." and on and on. The war was never on Islam. Rather it is on those who use Islam as an excuse to wage war on others. When will Muslims start taking back their own religion??