Some thoughts on growing Islamic fundamentalism/ violence?

You ask a great multi-point question, I will answer them all at once as your question seems to revolve around moderate Muslims. The reason you don't hear much from the so called "moderate Muslims" is, i believe due to the fact that if they protest too much or too loudly, their non-moderate Muslim peers, who follow and practice fundamental islam will kill them. The fundamental Islamists seem to have a death grip on the picture of Islam presented to the world, and moderates are afraid that their voice will doom them no matter how they frame their views. Yes it's true there isn't a figure in Islam akin to the Pope who can say what is right or wrong, there is a formal group of Islamic scholars, Imams and teachers who do determine Islamic law, and these men have been stuck in the 7th century since....well, the 7th century! It is they who determine business law, social norms and family law, and it is they who are the largest harbingers of the Islam presented to us in the West. The sad truth is, if moderate Muslims do not stand up as one voice and loudly and continually denounce, distance and deride the fundamentalists and their views, there will be a take-over, both here and world-wide of creeping sharia, Islamic traditions and the end of the Judeo-Christian values we all hold dear. I cannot stress enough to moderate Muslims....please take back your religion from those who have "hijacked" it, and bring it back into the fold of great human belief systems. If you don't, we in the west will have no choice but to view you, and all people of Islam as our enemies. We don't want to do that. Stand up against those who make you look bad, you have only to do this and together we can defeat Jihad, sharia and fundamental Islam!