After writing an essay on the danger radical Islam presents to the Western world, I have received a record number of encouraging e-mails and a fair share of letters to the editor that were critical. While our thoughtful exchanges crossed cyberspace, more terrorist attacks occurred in the UK and more taped threats have been received. The danger continues to grow.

One reader asked: "How cautious should we be here? With the events of today in London and all else that seems to go on daily I get concerned. Am I doing all I should to be facing this obvious risk to America?" Another warned: "He (Paulson) does not advocate genocide directly, but consider for a moment the logic of what he is saying: If there are too many of them, what is the remedy?"

Hopefully, we've learned from the past — no witch hunts or genocide, please. Mark Steyn, in "America Alone," rejects two unacceptable options — submit to Islam or destroy Islam. Steyn calls for reform: "Ultimately only Muslims can reform Islam. All the free world can do is create conditions that increase the likelihood of Muslim reform, or at any rate do not actively impede it."

Writing in the London Daily Mail, Hassan Butt, a former member of the British Jihadi Network, also called for reform: "Crucially, the Muslim community in Britain must slap itself awake from its state of denial and realize there is no shame in admitting the extremism within our families, communities and worldwide co-religionists. If our country is going to take on radicals and violent extremists, Muslim scholars must go back to the books and come forward with a refashioned set of rules and a revised understanding of the rights and responsibilities of Muslims whose homes and souls are firmly planted in what I'd like to term the Land of Co-existence. And when this new theological territory is opened up, Western Muslims will be able to liberate themselves from defunct models of the world, rewrite the rules of interaction and, perhaps, we will discover that the concept of killing in the name of Islam is no more than an anachronism."

We must back politicians who work with our allies to find and strike existing terrorist cells, but military interventions alone are not the answer. We must help responsible Muslims wage ideological warfare against the Wahhabi and other radicalized Muslims. We need more than the government-funded Al-Hurra network waging the Mideast war of ideas. Countering radicals means providing an effective mouthpiece for moderate Muslims like Muhammad Abdul Bari, head of the Muslim Council of Britain: "Let us be absolutely clear about this, that those who seek to kill or maim innocent people are the enemies of all of us. There is no cause whatsoever that could possibly justify such barbarity."

Seek dialogue with Muslims in our midst; learn about what they believe and how they differ from radicals. When they do march against terrorism, applaud them, join them, demand media coverage.

In an encouraging Star commentary, Yahya Merchant encouraged Muslims to "invite our neighbors to meet with us" and pointed the way to the work of Badshah Khan, a Gandhi ally in India, who promoted nonviolence and reaffirmed that Islam permits only self-defense and condemns aggressive warfare. Badshah raised a 100,000-strong, nonviolent army for the first time. We need such an "army" today promoting moderate, faithful Islam.

In a letter to The Star, Moustapha Abou-Samra, M.D., of Ventura, wrote: "As a Muslim, and a naturalized U.S. citizen of 27 years, I feel more welcome in this country than in the one of my birth, and I certainly have more rights. I am convinced that the environment created by our Western Christian culture/heritage' is what makes this welcome and embrace possible. God bless America."

The biggest vulnerability for radical Muslim doctrine is women's rights! Few Muslim women will want to live under radical Sharia law that includes genital mutilation and possible honor killing for infidelity. As a closed society, Middle Eastern Muslims won't listen to Christian or secular women; they need to find hope from men and women of their own faith.

Let's support denying international legitimacy to Islamic states that persecute non-Muslims. Encourage the media to cover both the extreme practices of radicals and the positive efforts of moderate Muslims.

Our dependence on Middle Eastern oil helps fund terrorists. Support developing our own oil reserves and move aggressively to develop viable alternatives.

Finally, in agreement with the recent column by Sheriff Bob Brooks, whether you're inside or outside of the Muslim faith, remain vigilant. When a video store clerk was asked to transfer a video to DVD that showed 10 men shooting weapons at a firing range and calling for jihad, he called authorities. His vigilance may have thwarted a group of foreign-born Muslim terrorists from assaulting the Fort Dix Army base. Terrorists can be anywhere. Be vigilant and report suspicious behavior.

— Terry Paulson, Ph.D., is a psychologist, speaker, author and host to the PoliticalTalk Blog. Contact him at www.politicalassessment.com or at terry@terrypaulson.com.