> It never hurts to remember that many of the original European settlers to what is now the US were religious radicals who were forced out of Europe because of their religious beliefs. Their influence lives on to this day.

Forced out? Or wanted their particular version of religion to be 'the only one', (oh, as well as being 'persecuted')?

Whether they were forced out or whether they just had a victim complex (I really don't know enough about history to know and it may be a little of both), I think it is well documented that they weren't wanted there by many. I believe England outlawed whatever religion the Pilgrims were practicing there.