Real shocker here......I can't imagine how this could happen.....

Negative perceptions of Islam increasing
Poll numbers in U.S. higher than in 2001
By Claudia Deane and Darryl Fears
The Washington Post
Updated: 7:41 a.m. ET March 9, 2006

As the war in Iraq grinds into its fourth year, a growing proportion of Americans are expressing unfavorable views of Islam, and a majority now say that Muslims are disproportionately prone to violence, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

The poll found that nearly half of Americans -- 46 percent -- have a negative view of Islam, seven percentage points higher than in the tense months after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, when Muslims were often targeted for violence.


• More U.S. news
The survey comes at a time of increasing tension; the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq show little sign of ending, and members of Congress are seeking to block the Bush administration's attempt to hire an Arab company to manage operations at six of the nation's ports. Also, Americans are reading news of deadly protests by Muslims over Danish cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad.

Conservative and liberal experts said Americans' attitudes about Islam are fueled in part by political statements and media reports that focus almost solely on the actions of Muslim extremists.

According to the poll, the proportion of Americans who believe that Islam helps to stoke violence against non-Muslims has more than doubled since the attacks, from 14 percent in January 2002 to 33 percent today.

The survey also found that one in three Americans have heard prejudiced comments about Muslims lately. In a separate question, slightly more (43 percent) reported having heard negative remarks about Arabs. One in four Americans admitted to harboring prejudice toward Muslims, the same proportion that expressed some personal bias against Arabs.

Though the two groups are often linked in popular discourse, most of the world's Muslims are not of Arab descent. For example, the country with the largest Muslim population is Indonesia.

As a school bus driver in Chicago, Gary McCord, 65, dealt with many children of Arab descent. "Some of the best families I've ever had were some of my Muslim families," he said in a follow-up interview. "They were so nice to me." He now works for a Palestinian Christian family, whose members he says are "really marvelous."

‘Because I think they preach hate’
But his good feelings do not extend to Islam. "I don't mean to sound harsh or anything, but I don't like what the Muslim people believe in, according to the Koran. Because I think they preach hate," he said.

As for the controversial cartoons of Muhammad, he said Arabs seem hypersensitive about religion. "I think it's been blown out of proportion," he said.

Frederick Cole, a welder in Roosevelt, Utah, acknowledged: "As far as being prejudiced against them, I'd have to say maybe a little bit. If I were to go through an airport and I saw one out of the corner of my eye, I'd say, 'I wonder what he's thinking.' " Still, Cole, 30, said, "I don't think the religion is based on just wanting to terrorize people."

A total of 1,000 randomly selected Americans were interviewed March 2-5 for this Post-ABC News poll. The margin of sampling error for the overall results is plus or minus three percentage points.

Americans who said they understood Islam were more likely to see the religion overall as peaceful and respectful. But they were no less likely to say it harbors harmful extremists, and they were also no less likely to have prejudiced feelings against Muslims.

In Gadsden, Ala., Ron Hardy, an auto parts supplier, said Arabs own a lot of stores in his area and "they're okay." But, Hardy, 41, said "I do think" Islam has been "hijacked by some militant-like guys."

Edward Rios, 31, an engineer in McHenry, Ill., said he feels that Islam "is as good a religion as any other" yet vengeance seems to be "built into their own set of beliefs: If someone attacks our people, it is your duty to defend them. . . . I don't think Christianity has anything like that."

James J. Zogby, president of the Washington-based Arab American Institute, said he is not surprised by the poll's results. Politicians, authors and media commentators have demonized the Arab world since 2001, he said.

‘A vein that’s very near the surface’
"The intensity has not abated and remains a vein that's very near the surface, ready to be tapped at any moment," Zogby said. "Members of Congress have been exploiting this over the ports issue. Radio commentators have been talking about it nonstop."

Juan Cole, a professor of modern Middle Eastern and South Asian history at the University of Michigan, agreed, saying Americans "have been given the message to respond this way by the American political elite, mass media and by select special interests."

Cole said he was shocked when a radio talk show host asked him if Islamic extremists would set off a nuclear bomb in the United States in the next six months. "It was ridiculous. I think anti-Arab racism and profiling has become respectable," he said.

Ronald Stockton, a professor of political science at the University of Michigan at Dearborn who helped conduct a study of Arabs in the Detroit area and on views of them held by non-Arabs, said an exceptionally high percentage of non-Muslims feels the media depicts Arabs unfairly, yet still holds negative opinions.

"You're getting a constant drumbeat of negative information about Islam," he said.

Michael Franc, vice president of government relations for the conservative Heritage Foundation, said that the survey responses "seems to me to be a real backlash against Islam" and that congressional leaders do not help the problem by sometimes using language that links all Muslims with extremists.

Polling director Richard Morin contributed to this report.
© 2006 The Washington Post Company

Go and watch any number of movies done during WWII.  The blatant racism, stereotyping and outright hatred portrayed against the Japanese and Germans was mindblowing.... and they were right to do it.

The nation was under attack, acts of war had been committed, the American people were furious and it showed.

If the same people that run the media today were around in 1941 we'd be speaking Japanese or German now.

There is going to have to be another act of terrorism on U.S. soil that makes 9/11 look like a fender bender to get Joe Sixpack to say "Fuck this!" and overcome the bombardment of "Stay calm, nothing to see here" messages from the MSM.

MSM has been covering for the extremists for awhile. Trying to disassociate them from any religious branding, despite the fact that they are directly fueled by religious zealotry. Americans aren't going to remain ignorant after weekly islamic affronts to sanity.

Paging, Doctors308, paging doctors308! Stat Blue. Someone has confused Muslims with Arabs again!

Since my FAmily has suffered for 700 years under Muslims oppression i have known about some bad shit since before 9-11. I know all about the history of the Cordova Califphate, The Ottomans, The Mughals, Etc etc. But even to me It was all ancient history. I knew at one time they were very aggressive and imperialistic, but that was 300 years ago! Even after 9-11 i thought it was about "terrorism" and People having to live under dictators etc etc Just like the MSM says. Then i started to look and collect stories from the "blogs" and Alternative media. I noticed something BAD, This went well beyond "palestine" or even "infidel troops" on Holy soil. It seemed to me that virtually everywhere the Muslim world bordered with the "infidel" world from the Philpines to the Sudan the Muslim "extremists" (yeah right) were engaging in terror and insurgency and ethnic cleansing. The past of 300 years ago had reared it's ugly head. Most Americans have refused to see this. All they focus on is Iraq. But once we see people getting killed over cartoons and 10000 cars being burned in France and grenades being thrown into churches.........................................

Quoted: The poll found that nearly half of Americans -- 46 percent -- have a negative view of Islam, seven percentage points higher than in the tense months after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, when Muslims were often targeted for violence.

Oh really?  Funny, I don't remember A SINGLE INCIDENT more violent than vandalism of a mosque after 9/11.  

James J. Zogby, president of the Washington-based Arab American Institute, said he is not surprised by the poll's results. Politicians, authors and media commentators have demonized the Arab world since 2001, he said. . . . "You're getting a constant drumbeat of negative information about Islam," he said.

You mean the beheadings, riots over cartoons, blowing up each others' mosques that is being reported is simply a drumbeat of negative information manipulated by politicians, authors, and the media?

Zogby, you need to check yourself into rehab like right F-ing now, pal!!!

Quoted: Quoted: The poll found that nearly half of Americans -- 46 percent -- have a negative view of Islam, seven percentage points higher than in the tense months after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, when Muslims were often targeted for violence. Oh really?  Funny, I don't remember A SINGLE INCIDENT more violent than vandalism of a mosque after 9/11.

There was one in Anchorage, against a print shop owned by an Arab-American.  But investigation revealed the owner did it for the insurance money.  He didn't figure on the community at large donating $40,000 to him out of sympathy, but that's what a lot of people did.

Godamn this bigoted, intolerant country.

Bombings and taped beheadings tend to leave a negative impression....

Muslims need to be dealt with by the barrel of a gun. They only listen to you when they know you are serious about killling them.

my god what could have possibly given us a negative impresion of islam?

Quoted: Bombings and taped beheadings tend to leave a negative impression....

+1

There was a Sikh, with a turban, who was shot by some idiot who thought he was a Muslim.

Hmm, it couldn't be that these people WANT to kill us, could it? Religion of peace MY FOOT!

Quoted: There was a Sikh, with a turban, who was shot by some idiot who thought he was a Muslim.

That's why it is important to learn as much as you can about Islam and Muslims: to shot in the right direction next time!

Here, instead, the Vatican is telling, by appointment of the "Foreign Ministry" of the Pope, that it's good and right to introduce the study of the Q'ran in the school in Italy. I guess NOT for my same reasons...

Quoted: Paging, Doctors308, paging doctors308! Stat Blue. Someone has confused Muslims with Arabs again! Since my FAmily has suffered for 700 years under Muslims oppression i have known about some bad shit since before 9-11. I know all about the history of the Cordova Califphate, The Ottomans, The Mughals, Etc etc. But even to me It was all ancient history. I knew at one time they were very aggressive and imperialistic, but that was 300 years ago! Even after 9-11 i thought it was about "terrorism" and People having to live under dictators etc etc Just like the MSM says. Then i started to look and collect stories from the "blogs" and Alternative media. I noticed something BAD, This went well beyond "palestine" or even "infidel troops" on Holy soil. It seemed to me that virtually everywhere the Muslim world bordered with the "infidel" world from the Philpines to the Sudan the Muslim "extremists" (yeah right) were engaging in terror and insurgency and ethnic cleansing. The past of 300 1396 years ago had reared it's ugly head. Most Americans have refused to see this. All they focus on is Iraq. But once we see people getting killed over cartoons and 10000 cars being burned in France and grenades being thrown into churches.........................................

Fixed.  

And the truth will set you free!

Quoted: Quoted: There was a Sikh, with a turban, who was shot by some idiot who thought he was a Muslim. That's why it is important to learn as much as you can about Islam and Muslims: to shot aim nukes in the right direction next time they screw with us! Here, instead, the Vatican is telling, by appointment of the "Foreign Ministry" of the Pope, that it's good and right to introduce the study of the Q'ran in the school in Italy. I guess NOT for my same reasons...

Corrected

ETA I wonder if Italy will cut out the parts about Dhimmitude, Jisya, Shariah and all the other wonderful parts of the Koran.

Quoted: Go and watch any number of movies done during WWII.  The blatant racism, stereotyping and outright hatred portrayed against the Japanese and Germans was mindblowing.... and they were right to do it.

I saw an old WWII poster listing the traits of "Japs". It said "They eat RAW fish!!"  Ha!

Quoted: Acording to our assorted leaders, Islam is a Religion of Peace® … the Terrorists are NOT Muslim Terrorists, they are ARAB Terrorrists! It is important to note this important detail in semantics…

They are Muslim terrorists.
Islam is the problem, not Arabs.
I posted my own lesson in semantics yesterday.

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=444100

Quoted: Paging, Doctors308, paging doctors308! Stat Blue. Someone has confused Muslims with Arabs again!

See why I posted the thread yesterday?
No need to get your tampax all in a twist dear.

*looking for that picture - "All I ever wanted to know about Islam"*

Quoted: Quoted: Go and watch any number of movies done during WWII.  The blatant racism, stereotyping and outright hatred portrayed against the Japanese and Germans was mindblowing.... and they were right to do it. I saw an old WWII poster listing the traits of "Japs". It said "They eat RAW fish!!"  Ha!

Seriously?

That is hilarious!!  

Cole said he was shocked when a radio talk show host asked him if Islamic extremists would set off a nuclear bomb in the United States in the next six months. "It was ridiculous. I think anti-Arab racism and profiling has become respectable," he said.

Cole will be even more shocked if a nuclear bomb will be set off in United States within the next six months...

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/03/09/iran.nuclear/index.html

There was a good spy story I read many years ago, when Cold War and Vietnam war were still raging out there.

A CIA spy was sent in the nearby Mexico to inquiry about the presence of a Chinese Army Colonel called Shabetai Khan. He met him many years before, during Korean War, because CIA sent him as sniper to assassinate this anti-Western, anti-USA Red Army brilliant officer.
To make a long story short: this agent discovered that his old enemy has placed several little nuclear bombs nearby the major us cities, ready to detonate at his will. At that time China (when the writer was writing this spy story) didn't develop yet its long range intercontinental missiles.

In middle east the Iranian secret services are VERY good. And sometimes fiction can predict the future: just replace "Communist China" with the words "Islamic Iran"...

See sig.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Acording to our assorted leaders, Islam is a Religion of Peace® … the Terrorists are NOT Muslim Terrorists, they are ARAB Terrorrists! It is important to note this important detail in semantics… They are Muslim terrorists. Islam is the problem, not Arabs. I posted my own lesson in semantics yesterday. www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=444100 Quoted: Paging, Doctors308, paging doctors308! Stat Blue. Someone has confused Muslims with Arabs again! See why I posted the thread yesterday? No need to get your tampax all in a twist dear. Not so… the 'authorties' absolutely insist it's not Islamic Terrorists, but Arab terrorists we are dealing with. The 'minor' issue that all the 9/11 hijackers, all the 11/3 Madrid nombers and all the 7/11 Londion bombers were muslims is just coincidence'… ANdy

Ah, but of course.
And since they are ARAB, then we can't do anything about it, since it would be racist.
Makes perfect sense.