Before the rise of Al-Qaeda, and the exception of the Iranian hostage crises which helped create this perception of the Middle-East being a hostile place to live, excluding out all the intricate political motivations, how did everyday Americans and Europeans for example view Muslims and Islam?
How far back do you want to go? Post WW2 and creation and Israel. Iran hostage has its roots in our alliance with Shah. I don't think Western view of Islam is fixed. Depends on time. Go back to medieval times and you have the crusades and that whole fanatism on both sides.
Give me a specific year or decade at least and we can look at the question in the right context.