The talking figureheads on TV don't really represent ordinary people. They are more PC, but everyday people don't care about PC.
In your quote, he said, "prejudice" both times. "Prejudice" is equivalent to "prejudice," not to "mistreatment."
I don't know, but whether that label is appropriate would depend on what comment it was directed against.
Anti-Muslim sentiments in the U.S. come close to racism. The only reason it isn't racism is by definition, but often times the people who hate and/or fear Islam identify it with Middle Eastern descent, and they also tend to regard both Muslims and people from the Middle East as a race. The Census Bureau actually classifies Middle Eastern descent as Caucasian, but no one cares.
The hatred against Muslims in the U.S. looks and feels like xenophobia, and a lot of the people that express it are completely unable to separate religion from the person.
I have no opinion on Islam, nor on any other religion. I had a very secular upbringing. I respect boundaries as long as other people respect mine. So I'm not going to go out of my way to criticize a person's private beliefs, or a community's beliefs. The only time I'd get involved is when it involves laws, wars, violence, public policy, or other things that are going to affect me.
I do take issues with Sharia law though, in particular to the treatment of women and homosexuals. But that falls under the greater issue regarding non-secular and oppressive governments in general.
The only other thing I will say about that religion (and this may well apply to all religions) is that it isn't entirely uniform. There are differences in practice and different schools of thought.
