Posted on 03/20/2006 5:48:56 PM PST by Dark Skies
More Americans are expressing unfavorable views about Islam. A recent public opinion poll shows 25 percent of Americans now say they personally are prejudiced against Muslims. And a majority of Americans think Muslims are more prone to resort to violence. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll found that 46 percent of Americans have a negative view of Islam. That is seven percentage points higher than during the months right after the terrorist attacks of September 2001. Laila Al Qatami, of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee in Washington, says the behavior of some Muslims, especially the violent protests over cartoons making fun of the Prophet Muhammad, contributed to the anger some Americans are feeling. "When there is violence and looting that is associated with all other acts, it does not do the image of Islam around the world any good. People see that and it confirms whatever bias they may have in their minds." She believes many Arab Americans think there was bias in the recent decision by the U.S. Congress to block a Dubai-owned company from operating some American ports, since non-Arab companies already operate several ports in the United States. Members of Congress cited U.S. national security as the main reason for the decision, but Laila Al Qatami says some Arab Americans see it as subtle discrimination. Recent public comments from some high-profile evangelists are also seen as inflammatory. The Reverend Franklin Graham called Islam, in his words, "a very wicked religion", and the Reverend Pat Robertson said, in his words, "Islam is a religion of violence." Media coverage of terrorism, and the violence in Iraq, may also contribute to hostility to Muslims.
Nihad Awad, the executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations, says stereotyping of Muslims by the U.S. media has had a negative effect. “I think that it is true that the statements, the kind of coverage that the American audience has been receiving about Muslims and Islam leads one to just one conclusion: that Islam is bad and Muslims are violent. The media has failed to capture the reality of the Muslim world and only focused on the actions of the few." But Laird Anderson, a journalism professor at American University in Washington DC, says the news media is not solely to blame, that there are cultural misunderstandings too.
Laird Anderson "The Koran and the Prophet Muhammad -- from my understanding -- taught peace and all of a sudden, we do not get peace, we get violence. That is confusing, so how a tolerant society is going to be able to accept violence and terrorism from a base that espouses tolerance itself? The Koran and the Prophet Muhammad, that is confusing to the American people." Rev. Clark Lobenstine, Executive Director of the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington, is working to promote religious understanding. "We live in a global village, and we live in a multi-faith global village, and it is our responsibility as people of any one faith to learn about other faiths and in that process to deepen understanding, to build trust and to work together to solve community problems" His hope is that patience and education together will reverse negative attitudes some Americans may have toward Islam.
I don't care what they say...rattlesnakes make good pets!!!
they reap what they are sowing and try to call it discrimination, LOL.
It is discrimination... the kind of discrimination that keeps people alive. It's the kind of discrimination that tells you not to walk down a blind alley in inner-city Baltimore at 2 AM.
true enough
Did they actually use the word "prejudiced" in the survey? I don't think they'd use that word if they were asking people how they feel about Christians. By using that word they would be able to keep the "negative toward Islam" number down quite a bit.
Don't we know that islam is superior?
Don't we know that islam is the "way and the truth."
Well, if you keep trying harder, you might get up to 100%! That's what you can achieve by working together. Some of your guys do the violence and the rest of you just stand around and say nothing and do nothing. It's a perfect plan. I don't trust you folks and I'm telling all my friends to help you achieve your goal, too. Congratulations!!
Sorry Duckhead...we see you coming. And we are getting ready!!!
Bingo! We have a winner!
Can't argue with you there!
However, in this case I'd rather choose the rattlesnakes. At least they are what they seem.
Wait, scratch that. Can't bomb them UP to the Middle Ages, when there were actual civilizations.
How lucky we are to have rattlesnake allies. That makes everything worthwhile.
Leadership is about stepping out into unpleaseant territory. It is about telling the frikken truth. I wonder if the Prez and Condi really think that sharia will be good for women...how would he like to submit his daughters to it...and how about you Condi...do you want to answer the muezzin's call to prayer.
Lead...dammit...or get out of the way!
If a family has two trained, violent, presa canarios which they allow to run the halls of an apartment complex, and the dogs kill a neighbor, should the family go to jail?
It happened in San Francisco, and they did. It's happening in the world, and muslims should not be surprised that they are held responsible for the "actions of a few."
"We live in a global village..."
I have a question to ask one of the Mullah Fahkas: What happens after muslims kill or convert the entire population of the earth? How will they satisfy their bloodlust? Oh, I see the answer: It's taking place in Iraq right now and in the Sudan; they kill each other! Silly me for being so ignorant.
HA! The media in this country do their best to portray TROP as a wonderful bunch of folks. Gimme a break. I would love to meet a CAIR representative.
"The media has failed to capture the reality of the Muslim world"
I have to agree. They have failed to show the true violent nature of islam. Every effort is made to minimize islamic violence and to transfer blame for the actions of muslims onto Christians and Jews.
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