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Interesting article, Geoff, thanks; and increasingly timely, not merely with the American election roadshow in full swing, but with the flood of Muslim refugees, from Syria and elsewhere, reaching even to the borders of—if not America itself just yet—the American mind.
Though obviously important and generally well-argued, the piece seems mistaken—even dangerously so—in equating the respective 'faces' of 21st-century Islam and 20th-century American Jewry.
Arguing that:
"The modern discourse over Muslims today resembles the manner in which Jews were talked about then. In both cases, a religious minority is seen as a dangerous underclass destroying society from below with their alien values, as well as a hidden force secretly controlling the world from above, through their infiltration of centres of power."
ignores several critical differences, in fact and especially in perception.
First and foremost, no one could have confused the pacific and generally well-educated American Jewry with the violence, destruction and brutal hegemony currently (mal)practiced throughout the world in the name of Islam. The most fervent Zionist could never have been mistaken for the suicidal hijackers and bombers currently unsettling America's fundamental peace of mind. And if the Jews outside America had pursued the violent conquest and terrorization of foreign states, some credible parallels might be observed; but they most certainly did not.
And this fundamental and far-reaching fact is only magnified by the wholescale difference in the perceptual environment of the two faiths and peoples: 21st-century Muslims are trapped in a staggeringly sophisticated and all but inescapable mundus perceptionis like the Jews never were.
Put these two elements, of fact and perception, together, and the differences between the two cases appear far more salient and important than the similarities.
Islam is perceived as an inherently hegemonious, West-hating, violent and oppressive force in the world; and as long as this perception is nourished by sensationalistic media and self-serving demagogues, Henry Ford’s conspiracy theories will look quaint in comparison.

With various extremist attacks unfolding globally, these connotations associated with the attacks are transferred onto general definitions of Islam. This ongoing “war on terror” is unbounded, unknown, and shadowy, and higher forms of government are authorized to stop it. This is where the notion of “Islamophobia” is produced. Muslims are narrowly categorized into the group of “essentialist terrorists”, which results in the ingrained fear towards Muslims in North American society. This categorization labels the general Islamic population as “violent” and a “threat” to society that is based on ignorance of the general religion and culture of these specific people
Thus, with these particular stereotypes and fear that is manifested within society, the government achieves to maintain this image of the “violent, oppressive” nature of the Islamic religion, which ultimately leads to national security issues. North American governments are so eager and motivated to protect its’ nations, but who exactly are they protecting? Innocent individuals who are visual members of the Islamic religion are stripped of their dignity and human rights as a result from this notion of “Islamophobia”.
This can be exemplified through the observation of legal transmission from one country to another where there have been multiple instances when innocent Muslims have been held for interrogation for lengthy periods of time, and subjected to barbaric and inhumane forms of handling, which were solely based and justified through the visual racial make-up of these people and their linkages to this societally constructed “essential terrorist” group. This group of people are ultimately guilty by identity. These extreme forms of “security measures” only strengthen the notion that the Islamic population in general is a threat to North America’s liberties and core way of living.
The statements of Brayaden-Fantin mentioned above in regard to conforming to social norms and changing your profile picture in response to extremist attacks is also very true. The bottom line is that you may be considered unpatriotic for not supporting the social norm, or even questioning the status-quo may label you as a "conspiracy theorist" and a threat to national security as an individual yourself.

I agree with the above statements, that America uses fear tactics in the media in order to sustain old prejudices as well as create new ones about Muslims. I also find it interesting how easily human beings are corrupted and taken under the spell of old, outdated, racist white men telling them what and how to think. To regard Muslims as a "fifth column" is both horrid and damaging. This idea that Muslims should be categorized speaks to a recent Trump-related incident. Trump has come up with this notion of registering Muslims with the state, and, as this article put as well as many others, http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/donald-trump-compared-hitler-new-republican-attack-ad-1531034 his actions continue to be reminiscent of that of Adolf Hitler. This idea, to register Muslims, can and should be seen as utterly inhumane. This comparison also speaks loudly to the idea that human beings are self-destructive. Islamophobia is but one out of thousands of prejudices Americans use to put people down, and, as a result, keep themselves on top. But, how long can this social hierarchy truly last? When will people tire of the "Trumpire's" racist views? Of course, Trump is not alone when it comes to oppressing and trying to control Muslims. These racist views and actions, which are committed by millions of Amrericans daily, contribute to the ever growing Islamophobia that seems to be governing the way humans beings treat other human beings.