Posted on 12/17/2004 4:44:07 PM PST by Salem
ITHACA, N.Y. (AP) - Nearly half of all Americans believe the U.S. government should restrict the civil liberties of Muslim Americans, according to a nationwide poll. The survey conducted by Cornell University also found that Republicans and people who described themselves as highly religious were more apt to support curtailing Muslims' civil liberties than Democrats or people who are less religious. Researchers also found that respondents who paid more attention to television news were more likely to fear terrorist attacks and support limiting the rights of Muslim Americans. "It's sad news. It's disturbing news. But it's not unpredictable," said Mahdi Bray, executive director of the Muslim American Society. "The nation is at war, even if it's not a traditional war. We just have to remain vigilant and continue to interface." The survey found 44 percent favored at least some restrictions on the civil liberties of Muslim Americans. Forty-eight percent said liberties should not be restricted in any way. The survey showed that 27 percent of respondents supported requiring all Muslim Americans to register where they lived with the federal government. Twenty-two percent favored racial profiling to identify potential terrorist threats. And 29 percent thought undercover agents should infiltrate Muslim civic and volunteer organizations to keep tabs on their activities and fund-raising. Cornell student researchers questioned 715 people in the nationwide telephone poll conducted this fall. The margin of error was 3.6 percentage points. James Shanahan, an associate professor of communications who helped organize the survey, said the results indicate "the need for continued dialogue about issues of civil liberties" in a time of war. While researchers said they were not surprised by the overall level of support for curtailing civil liberties, they were startled by the correlation with religion and exposure to television news. "We need to explore why these two very important channels of discourse may nurture fear rather than understanding," Shanahan said. According to the survey, 37 percent believe a terrorist attack in the United States is still likely within the next 12 months. In a similar poll conducted by Cornell in November 2002, that number stood at 90 percent. --- On the Net: www.news.cornell.edu/releases/Dec04/Muslim.Poll.bpf.html Muslim American Society: www.masnet.org
I want to see the questions asked.
LOL!! Because of these two important channels of discourse we HAVE A CLUE!
I fail to see how either is a restriction of civil liberties. Racial profiling (not the same as restraining someone because of their race, it is just LOOKING at them) does not in any way restrict anyone's liberty. And if the Muslim organizations are not doing anything wrong, the fact that there are undercover agents there can't possibly restrict them, can it? I see how it might make people uncomfortable, but that is not the same as restricting civil liberties.
This is just like when the media declared Fox News viewers are more likely to be uninformed because they believe al Quaeda had ties to Iraq. Well, it did and continues to.
no body asked me...
I'd rather restrict liberals...they are far more dangerous than most Muslims.
I for one don't want to see Muslims have their civil liberties restricted. I want to see them deported.
"While researchers said they were not surprised by the overall level of support for curtailing civil liberties, they were startled by the correlation with religion and exposure to television news."
Ummmm....maybe because religious people are more educated about religion than our liberala laisez faires, and are not in denial of terrorism....
Bull's-eye!
The Constitution was never meant to be a suicide document.
If the Supreme Court can deny the constitutional right of a baby's right to life then some restrictions on muslims isn't too far off base.
Does anyone else see that doing such a thing would take us or is everyone blinded by hatred that they can't see doing it would destroy everything this country was founded on.
Time for the international court to intervene...looks like America is full of anti-islamofascist bigots.../sarcasm
Blinded by hatred? Where'd you get that?
I'm into self preservation, dude.
This is what Islam is committed to doing:
..."...destroy everything this country was founded on."...
To Muslims, the world is either Islamic or it's not. If not, killing is one of the answers to solve that problem. As long as America does not convert to Islam, we will be targeted for death.
"everyone blinded by hatred that they can't see doing it would destroy everything this country was founded on."
yes, you are right, Muslims and atheists are trying to destroy the Christianity that built this great nation.
If so, why?
It's likely that native-born Nazis and white-supremists are monitored much more closely than foreign muslims coming into this country. Foreign groups do not have the right to do whatever they wish here --- and if the foreigners don't like it they can quit coming. Just like Nazis didn't have full rights to move or travel to the USA during WWII.
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