Jeff, the issue about M-103 has been going on for 5 or 6 articles, but the one about muslims has been going on in Globe comments for years.  The individual posters you read on this first page have been engaged in 'debate' for some considerable time.  It's unfair to make a personal assumption based on the first comments you read.  Get a sense of the larger discussion - you'll see comments comparing comparing headscarf-wearing women to suicide bombers, and men at prayer to ISIS soldiers.