What I’m seeing in certain situations is that Muslim "leaders" are more like followers- when folk who are deemed marginal decide to push issues into the public discourse, then the mainstream Muslim organizations decide to come out with the pamphlets, the conferences, etc. to pretend that they were with it all the time. Perhaps if those who are wondering about alternate Muslim perspectives asked those who are deemed to be marginal, they’d know what CAIR/ISNA/MAS will be saying about six months from now.
Change and creativity come from the ghettoes, the favelas, and the lonely blogs. Those on the fringe create to survive, only to see versions of our creations on the high street after we’ve left them behind. Oh, well.

Lots of people ARE speaking out, and loudly, if you read the blogs. The white newspapers just don’t cover it, or would rather cement their own prejudices by printing op-ed pieces asking just what you asked.

Where are moderate Jews when Kahanists say Arabs aren’t human and attack kids in the West Bank? Where are moderate Christians when high ranking coalition officers state that they believe it’s their job to convert Iraq to Christianity? Where are moderate Hindus while the Indian government rattles the saber at Pakistan and promotes and allows violence against Sikhs? I get tired of being expected to "speak out" all the time.

As English philosopher Edmund Burke said, ‘The only thing necessary for the triumph [of evil] is for good men to do nothing.’

http://tartarus.org/martin/essays/burkequote.html

I also think that this kind of mentality, the "moderate" vs "radical" view, has a wider implication beyond Islam.  I agree with the Burke quote someone left, but the issue is what, precisely, people of faith should do in their religious communities to confront extremism.  I don’t think simply hanging up the "Sorry, not all of us are like that" banner every time something awful or stupid (or worse, stupidly awful) is done in the name of one’s religion is going to solve either the continued commission of such tragic actions nor does it appear effective in swaying public opinion in (the mainly white, heavily Christianized elements of) western socieities.  Even progressive Christians often have trouble getting out their views in the media of such societies, let alone the average "non-terroristic" Muslim (which is what I suspect many people are thinking, even if subconsciously, when they say "moderate" Muslim). 

There is no Such thing

There are no "moderate" or "extreme" muslims.  There are the true muslims who are not apologetic for their religions’ laws and rules, or the so-called muslims who are apologetic, lost and scared of what kufars think!  So-called "moderat" muslims are brainwashed by America! Study the religion is what I would say to a "moderate" muslim. Listen folks, if you are muslim, then you know that our religion already has balance. There is no extreme or moderate Islam.  And don’t anybody dare call me a "radical" muslim! for telling the truth.

Oh good grief. If you can’t see where the deep end is, it’s because you’ve already gone over.

Just as people vary in all sorts of degrees so do muslims.  Islam is not a monolithic religion.   I think Naima your comfort level is on the extreme and anyone who doesn’t do as you do makes you uncomfortable in your deen.  You should really "read" the Quran, and Hadiths and then talk.  The Prophet (pbuh) was as moderate a muslim as they get.  i read some Hadiths and frankly when Aisha speaks of what the prophet (pbuh) allowed, and did, I think wow, Islam has slidden backward, the prophet (pbuh) wouldn’t recognize it now.