In U.S., 44 Percent Say Restrict Muslims

My Way News ^ | 17 Decemeber, 2004 | WILLIAM KATES

[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.

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On the Net:

www.news.cornell.edu/releases/Dec04/Muslim.Poll.bpf.html

Muslim American Society: www.masnet.org

[Tempest]

bad idea.

[tet68]

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.

Perhaps it's because seeing Muslims cut the heads off innocent people has an eroding effect on "understanding"?

Baaaaah! Liberals! Spit!

[iso]

Good news !

[Boazo]

I like to get right in there face, Make them uncomfortable!

[snowman1]

Your right once you let them start crap it means the end of the United States as we know it.

[Carry_Okie]

Islam has initiated an important distinction regarding the free exercise clause of the First Amendment: To adhere to Islam is tantamount to an act of sedition.

Islam professes to supplant the Constitution with Sharia Law. It has no respect for any other faith on an equal footing. Thus NO Muslim could take an oath of citizenship to the United States with any honesty (and lying to infidels doesn't bother them a bit). They can either be a citizen or a Muslim; there is no in between. Those who would choose to adhere to Islam instead of the United States should have their citizenship revoked and be deported. I know that sounds harsh, but it's hard reality.

[nothingnew]

PingIthacaRoonie.

FMCDH(BITS)

[Gondring]

Yep...looks like the terrorists won, by making us attack our own Constitution, etc.

[COEXERJ145]

Yep...looks like the terrorists won, by making us attack our own Constitution, etc.

What's more amazing is how many people here think its a good idea.

[hoosierham]

Isn't being a member of a group that advocates violent overthrow of the United States a reason for prosecution and/or deportation ?

[Gondring]

>>Yep...looks like the terrorists won, by making us attack our own Constitution, etc.

>What's more amazing is how many people here think its a good idea.

Amazing? yeah.

And what's scary is that it's self-proclaimed "conservatives" who are doing the dirty work for the anti-Amnerican crowd that tried unsuccessfully to shred our Constitution on their own!

[Gondring]

What group...humanity?

Oh, you mean like being a Christian, since there are some radical Christians who have advocated that? I disagree...we shouldn't prosecute or deport Christians just because some of them are criminals.

[COEXERJ145]

And what's scary is that it's self-proclaimed "conservatives" who are doing the dirty work for the anti-Amnerican crowd that tried unsuccessfully to shred our Constitution on their own!

Yeah, the self proclaimed "conservatives" have been showing their true colors on FR a lot int he last few days.

[Savage Beast]

Islam is an imperialist political movement as much as a religion. As a religion, it can be tolerated. As an imperialist political movement, it cannot. It's not like race, which cannot be changed; it is a matter of choice.

[esoxmagnum]

Well, quite frankly, I teach my children to serve God and their Country, in that order.

I feel the same way.

I serve God first and my Country second.

My Ten Commandments come before the will of my country.

Guess I'm a looney.

[skeeter]

How about answering my question in #19?

[ARCADIA]

Isn't being a member of a group that advocates violent overthrow of the United States a reason for prosecution and/or deportation ?

What are you going to do, deport all of the democrats?

[hoosierham]

You want the U.S. to become another Sudan where sharia law allows death by stoning for rape victims and widespread slaughter of non-Muslims ?

Since the Mohammedans demand all other religions be subsurvient to them ,they are showing a religous intolerance, not the rest of us.

Speaking for myself ,if you want to believe in salvation by the tooth fairy ,that's your business, UNTIL you demand the rest of us be FORCED to do so as well. And if you move into a nation that doesn't worship a moon god,don't threaten the people there with death IN THIS LIFE for not converting.

In the New Testament , the apostles are told to leave a town where the people won't listen to the Good News ,and to shake the dust off their sandals; Christians are not told to kill the unbeliever. Published translations of the Koran indicate the true Muslim is under a duty to kill any pagan who won't convert to ISLAM (apparently the pagen is not allowed to choose Judaism or Christianity ,the only other religions the Muslim may tolerate as long as they pay an ungodly tax.

The resounding silence of the Muslim community in condemning the WTC atrocity and the death sentences ordered on its own critics are ample evidence of the poisonous snake in the bushes.

[fat city]

"We just have to remain vigilant and continue to interface."

Webster's Dictionary:

in' ter face - v- 1) to adorn one's person with an explosive device with the purpose of destroying one's opposition. 2) the act of destroying one's self as a consequence of mutual destruction of innocents for political gain.

[Salem]

Hey, have you read this one yet?

It will give you the willies. Leave it to Friedman and STRATFOR to lay out the details of what is going on behind the scenes.

Like it or not, radical Islam is out to destroy America, and in the nuclear age they have the ability to do it. Not being hysterical or alluding to wild conspiracy theories, and yes, there are Muslims who are real nice people. But with the cult/group mentality which prevails in Islamic circles, the "moderates" will always be a marginalized minority within the Islamic world for the feeble future until some type of balance is achieved.

Until then, the Muslim world needs to be watched reeeeeal close, noble notions of American Constitutional freedoms applying to foreign killers masquerading as upright citizens notwithstanding.