THANK YOU
Finally one level-headed reply conspicuously lacking in insults and generalizations.
You are dead-on correct. A mysterious almost Eastern religion isn't going to get media attention (and therefore American attention) unless it does something Americans care about: kill someone or blow something up. What news network is going to televise Islamic charities in action or Muslim peace rallies? It isn't what bigoted people want to see or hear and it doesn't garner ratings.
And yes, they are fundamentally peaceful, despite the jeers of other posters. Islam MEANS 'peace' or 'submission'. Just follow the links I posted to learn just a bare minimum about it.