Why do Atheists defend Islam?

[Athene]

My post wasn't directed as you specifically, so I'm not sure certain why you seem personally offended.

I'm not offended by you personally, but by the ovesimplification in general. To say, the ones trying to make a distinction between the religion and the people, are afraid of retaliation, is offensive on two marks. First, it implies, they simply have their pants full and that's the only reason for not jumping the oh so popular muslim bashing train. Secondly it's simply a statement from the high horse, although I fail to see what the high horse should be when it comes to hating a whole group of people.

We're clearly talking about two different things. You keep bringing this conversation back to the dangers of scapegoating, racism and bigotry, while I'm only making a commentary on dangerous magical thinking. Magical thinking is capable of inciting a certain number individuals to commit horrible, violent acts within any belief system. Currently, violent acts carried out by a minority of Muslims who employ dangerous, magical thinking, occur with enough scope and frequency acts that it gives others pause to criticize the religion in any meaningful fashion. This is the truth.

The fact that some people feel that this justifies bigotry and hatred towards Muslims is also true. Those who are truly making a sincere effort to address this matter should be applauded. You can recognize these atheists by the way they address Islam and Christianity in a relatively even-handed manner, such as yourself. 

However, if one continually posts rants about how gullibly stupid Christians are, how evil Christianity is and how they despise everything about Christianity altogether, then magically softens and becomes concerned with confronting prejudice when Islam is brought up, I would have to say they're full of shit and not fooling anyone.

No high horse here, either.