If I opened/ended my exchances with "Assalamu alaikum," would so many be so offended? I personally don't think so. In fact, I think there would be some who would think, "Hey, cool! How do you say that, again?" and, like little children, gleefully try to pronounce the words so foreign to their own tongues. And there would be others who would say, "Ah, yes, she's a Muslim. Okay. Cool, even."
Funny thing: the words "Assalamu alaikum" mean "peace be to you"... which, in my mind, are truly kind and loving words to use when greeting someone. In whatever language. True, for some they may seem a bit archaic, but I think that is primarily the case among a society that has been in existence for, what, ummmm... less than 300 years... while that particular greeting has been exchanged for well over 3,000 years; over 5,000 years, in fact, and is actually uttered by more than 70% of the world's population.
Even funnier, though, is that when one makes the EXACT same greeting, but uses English words, such as "May you have peace," something totally different is perceived. Why is that, I wonder? I included a theory below, but then thought, "Ahhh, what's the point? If someone wants to hear something other than a greeting for peace in a greeting for peace... then they're gonna hear something else... anything else... except that greeting for peace. Regardless. So be it."
To all who read this, I wish you peace. Truly.
A slave of Christ,
SA (who's probably over-reacting, but that's because it's exam season and she's a bit "testy" these days...)