Gallup: Many Americans Harbor Strong Bias Against U.S. Muslims

[Rose Siding]

NEW YORK A new Gallup poll finds that many Americans -- what it calls "substantial minorities" -- harbor "negative feelings or prejudices against people of the Muslim faith" in this country. Nearly one in four Americans, 22%, say they would not like to have a Muslim as a neighbor.

While Americans tend to disagree with the notion that Muslims living in the United States are sympathetic to al-Qaeda, a significant 34% believe they do back al-Qaeda. And fewer than half -- 49% -- believe U.S. Muslims are loyal to the United States.

Almost four in ten, 39%, advocate that Muslims here should carry special I.D. That same number admit that they do hold some "prejudice" against Muslims. Forty-four percent say their religious views are too "extreme."

In every case, Americans who actually know any Muslims are more sympathethic.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_di...

[bluestateguy]

1. I think it would only take one more 9/11 to result in internment camps agn

A certain degree of prejudice against Muslims is now socially acceptable, much in the same way a certain degree of prejudice against gays is socially acceptable. It would only take the other shoe dropping of another attack to lead the country to demand that Muslims be put into camps.

[marmar]

18. Sadly, I have to agree..

Almost like the scene in the movie "The Siege" where they set up the camp for all young Arab males.

[saigon68]

29. They have now invented the term "Islamo Fascists" for these people

Leaders like Cooksey started this wave of hatred. He was too blunt and was replaced

They are more subtle in their attempts to influence the rustics now.

Cooksey, an arch-conservative Republican, is planning to run against Sen. Mary Landrieu, a Democrat nearing the end of her first term. Cooksey made news last week for some bone-headed comments about airport security and racial profiling in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"If I see someone comes in that's got a diaper on his head and a fan belt wrapped around the diaper on his head, that guy needs to be pulled over," Cooksey said during an interview with Louisiana Radio Network.

Cooksey's comment came last Monday, the same day that President Bush, a fellow Republican, visited an Islamic mosque and praised mainstream Islam as a religion of peace.

[Lisa]

2. my dad still has his "enemy alien" card from the Japanese internment

Here we go again?

[iconoclastic cat]

8. OT, but have you considered writing his story?

That would make some fascinating reading as work of creative nonfiction.

[Lisa]

11. actually, I've been at him to do just that ...

When he's in the right mood, he's got a pleasantly ironic style of writing -- and being retired, he needs something to keep him out of Mom's hair (so she says ...)

He was thinking of calling it "Springtime in the Rockies"!

Re: the ID card -- Dad pointed out that, at least in Canada, the ones issued to people born here (but classified as "enemy aliens" nonetheless) were white ... while the ones issued to naturalized immigrants were yellow (!). Someone in the government just couldn't resist that little dig, I guess.

[iconoclastic cat]

12. Tell him this: That book would sell like Stephen King.

Creative nonfiction is really hot right now, and I would be surprised if a literary agent or publisher wouldn't give him a shot if he submitted a couple of chapters and an outline. Self-publishing is an option too. And of course, he could always blog it.

[bigluckyfeet]

10. People Have Been

Brainwashed by the media.Figure it from there.

[stillcool]

3. kudo's to the news media...

and all those writers who make up this shit. Julius Streicher would be so proud.

[catmother]

4. i think i would look at them with a little suspicion. before 9/11

that never would have entered my mind.

[frylock]

5. many americans are racist asshole idiots..

just one man's opinion.

[Igel]

6. Link. Better to look at original source than

pre-digested stuff.

http://poll.gallup.com/content/?ci=24073

[The Stranger]

34. With what part of this news piece is there a question?

[Igel]

40. No disagreement between the original and the

OP's source. But the original's more complete.

It's just good practice to track down the original. Sometimes there's added information, showing that the digested form cherry picked or spun the results. Sometimes there's just more information, as in this case.

I found the comparison by age and the breakdown by whether a person is familiar with at least one Muslim or not interesting.

[kineneb]

7. what about Muslims who have converted

or ambivalent about their parents' religion? I know several naturalized Americans from Iran that are no longer "Muslim" but are now "Christian". This is just stupid.

[phrenzy]

9. Honestly

Well, I'm come right out and say - When I was in London a couple of years ago and a nervous, shifty 'middle eastern looking' guy came on the underground train I was in with a bulky jacket.. Umm, I was.. not comfortable.

I really feel terrible for the majority of muslims who couldn't or wouldn't hurt anyone. They get to live with the consequences of the crazy muslims actions.

That said, I really do believe there is much denial among even 'mainstream' muslims about these things. Many muslims will 'justify' these actions by citing various crimes against muslims around the world. That does bother me.

[IndyBob]

26. Prejudice,

especially when we see it in ourselves, is disturbing. It seems to me to be almost ingrained in our genes - part of the tribal us versus them mentality.

I give you credit for recognizing it in yourself. A conscious effort to recognize it, and be shamed when we ourselves are guilty, is a great step in rising above our reptilian brains.

The world is getting too small, and our abilty to kill ourselves too great, to not find a way to live in peace.

[lindisfarne]

13. Hmmm. I wonder how the anti-Muslim bias compares to the anti-atheist?n/t

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Realityhack]

14. Uh oh... this scares me on several levels.

1. More of these wackos than I thought
2. Most people are moronic enough to go along with social proof so the number of nut jobs will only increase with this news.
3. Last I heard they hated atheists even more... Wonder what kind of ID I will need to carry.
4. Makes me worry even more about a Theocracy.

[NVMojo]

15. the KKK is alive and well in mainstream America ...pathetic ....

[Monkeyman]

16. Ya and they are all Bush supporters

[Name removed]

21. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[EFerrari]

17. American Racism, stronger than ever!

Go, team!

[Laotra]

19. How many Moslems on DU?

I know only of one Sufi, Ayashugga or what was his/her name?

[catmother]

24. it's ayeshahaqqiqa. we got to know each other. she's a

wonderful woman. she's american and she converted. her husband is also a convert.

i met a few converts when we had the muslim cartoon controversy.

[Orrin_73]

32. Im a muslim too

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

22. What's a Muslim look like?

Horseshit!

[catmother]

25. if they're modern and they wear everyday clothes they look like

everyone else. some are very good looking.

[Gormy Cuss]

38. Like Sikhs, apparently

[mitchum]

23. I could give a flying fuck about Muslims, but I harbor a strong bias...

against born again christians. A well earned bias.

[leesa]

27. Now Gallup is very biased toward the GOP so it might follow that

Gallup CREATES the poll that gives us this result in order to facilitate anti-Muslim seniment in America to help keep the Anti-Muslim wars going. After all, 60% of Americans against the Anti-Muslim wars is not good.

We MUST make Americans hate Muslims more. Todays phony terror attack was quite a good day's work!

[SquireJons]

28. How about a tattooed number on their arms?

Or a simple yellow star on their shirts? I know, it's been done before, but since everyone already knows what it means, there won't be a learning curve. We can all hate, without the wait.

Jesus H. Christ! What's next? It's really getting scary just how un-american 40% of americans really are. They haven't the slightest idea as to what has set this country apart from others over the last 200 years. They are so willing to adopt authoritarian measures, as long as they're not directed at themselves. If Thomas Jefferson were alive today, they'd swift boat him and then hang him.

[saigon68]

30. Cooksey was on the cutting edge

Cooksey, an arch-conservative Republican, is planning to run against Sen. Mary Landrieu, a Democrat nearing the end of her first term. Cooksey made news last week for some bone-headed comments about airport security and racial profiling in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"If I see someone comes in that's got a diaper on his head and a fan belt wrapped around the diaper on his head, that guy needs to be pulled over," Cooksey said during an interview with Louisiana Radio Network.

Cooksey's comment came last Monday, the same day that President Bush, a fellow Republican, visited an Islamic mosque and praised mainstream Islam as a religion of peace.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Mountainman]

33. Hell, just round them up and put them in detention camps like the Japanese

were during WWII. We never seem to change. Just a new boogie man for new times.

[cobalt1999]

35. I admit it I have a slight bias against Muslims.

And Christians, and Jews, and Hindus, and etc.

Anyone who thinks there is some reward waiting for them in the "next life" may not always act rational in this one.

Of course to them, I'm going to Hell, so they don't always trust me either.

[Tellurian]

36. Accurate headline: "4 in 10 Republicans carry Strong bias against Muslim

Culture..

Seems to make a mockery of the Statue of Liberty's quote?

“The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying, "Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses."

She's got a baseball bat and yelling, "You want a piece of me?"”

<courtesy of Robin Williams.>

[sofa king]

37. Wow, that last quoted sentence really spells it out, doesn't it?

"In every case, Americans who actually know any Muslims are more sympathethic."

Know thine enemies, and they just might turn out to be thy friends instead.

[Barkley]

39. So when they get "interned" (a la Japanese Americans) no one will object

That's where we're headed.

That's why the U.S./NSA is spying on peace groups

Because they are likely to challege this 'internment'

[The Backlash Cometh]

41. No kidding. Never saw that coming.

These fine Americans have been taught to fear at the drop of a hat, and whatever they fear, they can be convinced that extermination is the only way to resolve the matter. That's what the right-wing is after.

[Critters2]

42. This is HUGH!!!111!! I'm series!!1!

Many Americans are morans, too. I've taken a survey.