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In U.S., 44 Percent Say Restrict Muslims
My Way News ^ | 17 Decemeber, 2004 | WILLIAM KATES

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


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: alqaeda; civil; constitution; iraq; islam; liberties; liberty; mahdibray; mas; msa; muslim; muslimamericans; muslims; on; restrictions; terror; war
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1 posted on 12/17/2004 4:44:08 PM PST by Salem
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To: Salem
No way it's only 44%.

I want to see the questions asked.

2 posted on 12/17/2004 4:46:39 PM PST by Publius6961 (The most abundant things in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity.)
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To: SJackson; yonif; Simcha7; American in Israel; spectacularbid2003; Binyamin; Taiwan Bocks; ...
"We need to explore why these two very important channels of discourse may nurture fear rather than understanding," Shanahan said.

LOL!! Because of these two important channels of discourse we HAVE A CLUE!


AMERICA AT WAR
At Salem the Soldier's Homepage ~

American Flag

3 posted on 12/17/2004 4:47:26 PM PST by Salem (FREE REPUBLIC - Fighting to win within the Arena of the War of Ideas! So get in the fight!)
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To: Salem
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

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.

4 posted on 12/17/2004 4:50:31 PM PST by DameAutour ("The dumber people think you are, the more surprised they're going to be when you kill them.")
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To: Salem

no body asked me...


5 posted on 12/17/2004 4:52:34 PM PST by hadaclueonce (shoot low, they are riding Shetlands.....)
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To: Salem

I'd rather restrict liberals...they are far more dangerous than most Muslims.


6 posted on 12/17/2004 4:52:45 PM PST by who knows what evil? (If arrogance was beauty, New England women would be supermodels!)
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To: Salem
Nearly half of all Americans infidels believe the U.S. government should restrict the civil liberties of Muslim Americans, according to a nationwide poll.
7 posted on 12/17/2004 4:55:46 PM PST by umgud
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To: Salem

I for one don't want to see Muslims have their civil liberties restricted. I want to see them deported.


8 posted on 12/17/2004 5:01:08 PM PST by yooper (If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there......)
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To: Salem

"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....


9 posted on 12/17/2004 5:02:14 PM PST by EBH (A very proud Aunt of a US Marine in Fallujah)
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To: Salem
This is bull!!!!!!!!
Its more like 75% and the 25% that don't want it to happen are Muslims
10 posted on 12/17/2004 5:02:59 PM PST by solo gringo (Liberal democrats are swamp leaches)
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To: EBH
"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!  !

11 posted on 12/17/2004 5:03:41 PM PST by Salem (FREE REPUBLIC - Fighting to win within the Arena of the War of Ideas! So get in the fight!)
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To: Salem
Nearly half of all Americans believe the U.S. government should restrict the civil liberties of Muslim Americans, according to a nationwide poll.

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.

12 posted on 12/17/2004 5:04:58 PM PST by Noachian (A Democrat, by definition, is a Socialist.)
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To: Salem; jveritas
Right. Lets just piss on the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the very fabric of the United States while we're at it.

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.

13 posted on 12/17/2004 5:07:12 PM PST by COEXERJ145
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To: Salem

Time for the international court to intervene...looks like America is full of anti-islamofascist bigots.../sarcasm


14 posted on 12/17/2004 5:08:14 PM PST by Fitzcarraldo
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To: Salem
I almost hate to say this, but in stores I find myself avoiding checkout counters where the person is in Muslim dress.
They give me the creeps. I tend to feel hostile toward them.
15 posted on 12/17/2004 5:12:05 PM PST by Jorge
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To: COEXERJ145
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.

Blinded by hatred? Where'd you get that?

I'm into self preservation, dude.

16 posted on 12/17/2004 5:13:24 PM PST by skeeter (OBL "Americans" won't honor any law that interferes with their pocketbooks)
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To: COEXERJ145

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.


17 posted on 12/17/2004 5:15:26 PM PST by jolie560
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To: COEXERJ145

"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.


18 posted on 12/17/2004 5:16:20 PM PST by shellshocked
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To: COEXERJ145
BTW, can there be too much Islam in a republic like ours?

If so, why?

19 posted on 12/17/2004 5:17:46 PM PST by skeeter (OBL "Americans" won't honor any law that interferes with their pocketbooks)
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To: DameAutour

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.


20 posted on 12/17/2004 5:20:24 PM PST by FITZ
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