Poll shows U.S. views on Muslim-Americans
Nearly half of Americans believe their rights
should be restricted, according to survey
The Associated Press
Updated: 6:22 p.m. ET Dec. 17, 2004

ITHACA, N.Y. - 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.

'Disturbing news'
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.

37 percent believe terrorist attack likely
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.
© 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

If a crazy Christian group did Terrorist attacks would we even being talking about restraining their Civil Liberties?

Yet another lesson not learned from the past. While many people may feel this way, I don't think it will ever happen. I hope.

Fucking rednecks.

But you raise a good point....no one seemed to be pushing for the limitation of civil liberties of white male American's with military experience and crew cuts post-Oklahoma City bombing.

I'm questioning the validitiy of this survey, first of all. Maybe I'm living inside of a box, but I honestly don't see how that many people can accept curtailing civil liberties. I live in a pretty far-right community, and even most people here would find that idea appalling.

715 people seems like a really low number to make such a blanket assumption, thats what, 14 people per state?

Agreed.



Agreed.

EXACTLY.

America, land of the free, but only if you're a redneck Judeo-Christian.

What is wrong with these people?

I'd like to think that Cornell could do a better survey than that, seems like an awful small database to try and back a "study" upon, particularly involving national opinion.

HAHA!

Oh jeez, of all the pictures.

Timothy McVeigh is hardly a redneck. Born and raised in the suburban town of Parma New York, not far from me.

Teddy Kaczyinski (sp?), super uber hermit leftist. His hut had a copy of Al Gores book.

Way to go folks.

this makes me want to cry.
i don't understand how people could think like this... my father is a hardcore conservative and the only way i got him to see it was through empathy- imagine if italians had flown planes into the trade centers (i'm italian, woot) and now you were getting arrested for no reason, detained without bail or reason for six months, not allowed your civil liberties.

his response: but lauren, that would never happen.
its just bullshit. buuuulllshiiiiit.

its things like this that make me want to lock myself in a closet blasting 'Imagine'... grrrrrr.

emmm

looks like Big Bush Bro is gonna be looking over my shoulders for my next trip to the US, which scheduled sometime next year.

I think that they were posted to show that Moslems are certainly not the only ethnic group to produce terrorists who attack the US.

We breed our own as well.

Muslim-AMERICANS? Did the people who support restricting a subset of their fellow Americans' rights forget to the read the following part of Amendment 14 of the Constitution?

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

The last two clauses didn't even restrict it to citizens. "Life, liberty, or property" are basic human rights, according to the amendment.

I live in Bellevue, Nebraska. It's a suburb of Omaha, about 50,000 people, almost exclusively in the air force base which claims most of the area. I have not yet met an individual in this community which would not support such a move. Meanwhile, I teach middle school in the most destitute areas of Omaha, in which diversity is immense. I am more proud of the children than my neighbors.

So how exactly can you now claim to be the 'Land of the Free'??