And I'm not believing what I heard...ABC Radio news reported that most Muslims in America believe suicide bombings can never be justified, but "thirteen percent do in some cases." They then played a clip of some Muslim dude telling us Americans can now rest easy in knowing American Muslims are Americans first and Muslims second. Well now, that's comforting.
First, thirteen percent of Muslims believing suicide bombings can be justified to me is a disturbing number. And considering there are roughly 2.35 million Muslims in this country, that would mean over 300,000 don't have a problem with suicide bombings. On top of that, twenty-six percent of young Muslims can justify suicide bombings.
Moreover:
63% identified themselves as Democrats or as "leaning" toward the Democratic Party, although "On key social issues," Pew says, "Muslims in the U.S. are much more conservative than the general public. Most say that homosexuality is a way of life that should be discouraged, rather than accepted, by society. A large majority of Muslims (59%) also say that government should do more to protect
morality in society."
Only 25 percent consider the U.S. war on terrorism a sincere attempt to curtail international terror. Only 40 percent said they believe Arab men carried out the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
By six to one, they say the U.S. was wrong to invade Iraq, while a third say the same about Afghanistan -- far deeper than the opposition expressed by the general U.S. public.
And ABC tells us don't worry, be happy. Pew themselves headline the report, "Muslim Americans: Middle Class and Mostly Mainstream."
The first-ever, nationwide, random sample survey of Muslim Americans finds them to be largely assimilated, happy with their lives, and moderate with respect to many of the issues that have divided Muslims and Westerners around the world.
So American Muslims are more conservative on social issues than most Americans, but 63% identify with the party of abortion and gay rights - 71% having voted for John Kerry. 300,000 can find a way to justify suicide bombings and only forty percent believe Arabs had anything to do with 9/11 ... yet Muslims in America are mostly moderate and mainstream.
I don't know about you but I find it all quite disturbing on many levels. |
