December 19, 200421 yr 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. 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. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...civil_liberties
December 19, 200421 yr Yeah, I read this a few days ago on MSNBC.com. Pretty disturbing, if you ask me. Not that it really surprised me.
December 19, 200421 yr Unfortunately people tend to fear something they don't understand, like Islamic fundamentalism.
December 19, 200421 yr Unfortunately people tend to fear something they don't understand, like Islamic fundamentalism. 638370[/snapback] I understand it and I fear it. :plain
December 19, 200421 yr Author Unfortunately people tend to fear something they don't understand, like Islamic fundamentalism. 638370[/snapback] I understand it and I fear it. :plain 638379[/snapback] Agreed.
December 19, 200421 yr Unfortunately people tend to fear something they don't understand, like Islamic fundamentalism. 638370[/snapback] I understand it and I fear it. :plain 638379[/snapback] Agreed. 638394[/snapback] The only thing that scares me is that these terrorists seem to be smarter than our current government's leaders. I mean, Bin Laden and Mullah Omar managed to escape with relative ease.
December 19, 200421 yr Unfortunately people tend to fear something they don't understand, like Islamic fundamentalism. 638370[/snapback] I understand it and I fear it. :plain 638379[/snapback] Agreed. 638394[/snapback] The only thing that scares me is that these terrorists seem to be smarter than our current government's leaders. I mean, Bin Laden and Mullah Omar managed to escape with relative ease. 638399[/snapback] That was due to the US entrusting the capture to the tribes of the area at the border and it is there custom, that they would die before taking in a person, even if the reward on them was high, as it is dishonorable to do so.
December 19, 200421 yr being able to run away and hide is a sign of higher inteligence? Do you remember playing hide and go seek as a child? No one wanted to be "it" because it sucked trying to find people. It was so much easier to hide.
December 19, 200421 yr being able to run away and hide is a sign of higher inteligence? Do you remember playing hide and go seek as a child? No one wanted to be "it" because it sucked trying to find people. It was so much easier to hide. 638482[/snapback] some intelligence at last....
December 19, 200421 yr being able to run away and hide is a sign of higher inteligence? Do you remember playing hide and go seek as a child?? No one wanted to be "it" because it sucked trying to find people.? It was so much easier to hide. 638482[/snapback] some intelligence at last.... 638561[/snapback] They managed to successfully execute two complicated attacks at least (9/11 and the Spain train bombings). It's not exactly easy to pull off those kinds of operations. It took Al Qaeda 4-5 years to execute their 9/11 operation. That's exactly the reason why I think that we aren't any safer right now, just because they haven't attacked any targets on U.S. soil since 9/11. They aren't as stupid as we think they are. Al Qaeda is very well connected across the globe, otherwise they wouldn't be able to pull off these attacks.
December 19, 200421 yr Count me in the not surprised category. 20 bucks says a large majority would do the same thing to the negroes and brownies.
December 19, 200421 yr being able to run away and hide is a sign of higher inteligence? Do you remember playing hide and go seek as a child?? No one wanted to be "it" because it sucked trying to find people.? It was so much easier to hide. 638482[/snapback] some intelligence at last.... 638561[/snapback] They managed to successfully execute two complicated attacks at least (9/11 and the Spain train bombings). It's not exactly easy to pull off those kinds of operations. It took Al Qaeda 4-5 years to execute their 9/11 operation. That's exactly the reason why I think that we aren't any safer right now, just because they haven't attacked any targets on U.S. soil since 9/11. They aren't as stupid as we think they are. Al Qaeda is very well connected across the globe, otherwise they wouldn't be able to pull off these attacks. 638578[/snapback] I don't think they are stupid. Jaded, misguided, insane, fanatic? Yes. But, I mean, that's pretty silly to assume that Americans are the only smart people in this world. It's also silly to assume that the fanatics are smarter than us because they pulled off a COMPLICATED ATTACK THAT TOOK 4-5 YEARS TO PUT INTO ACTION! Do you honestly think terrorism is extremely difficult? Let's see...pull off an extremely violent maneuver on some UNSUSPECTING INNOCENT PEOPLE in a manner that people are NOT EXPECTING. That's not hard. I mean, I could also strap a bomb to myself and go to an SEC football game and blow up 80,000 people. It's possible...I've been to about 70 Gator games in my lifetime, and I've been patted down maybe twice.
December 19, 200421 yr 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. Ironic, disappointing, and expected. :plain
December 20, 200421 yr FDR put Americans in concentration camps. We ain't even close to that yet. 638764[/snapback] That was a different time, and it was a horrible thing. However, I don't see what this has to do with anything.
December 20, 200421 yr FDR put Americans in concentration camps. We ain't even close to that yet. 638764[/snapback] That was a different time, and it was a horrible thing. However, I don't see what this has to do with anything. 638776[/snapback] Tonyi just felt the need to discredit our liberal "hero".
December 20, 200421 yr Count me in the not surprised category. 20 bucks says a large majority would do the same thing to the negroes and brownies. 638682[/snapback] come on.... you honestly think it's that bad?
December 20, 200421 yr somehow i'm not surprised at all of this. the vast majority of this country are bigots or at the least closet bigots.
December 20, 200421 yr somehow i'm not surprised at all of this. the vast majority of this country are bigots or at the least closet bigots. 638986[/snapback] It does seem like that sometimes. Especially with the whole gay rights thing, where it seems like a large portion of the country would rather be intolerant than understanding.
December 21, 200421 yr Good to see the libertarians are out in full force defending civil liberties. Oh right...convenience. :plain It sickens me that millions upon millions of American Muslims can go about their lives and commit no wrong but all are indicted for the crimes of a few. Lets allow this rational to go further...would some of you not allow your children to be in the presence of a Catholic priest because of the recent scandals? Doubt it. Easy to blame the foreigners though. Whats obvious from this is clear..when people rant and rave about loving the good old US of A, they dont live the principles on which it stands at all..hell I bet half the country would probably describe the Federalist papers and Anti American.
December 21, 200421 yr Those stupid banjo fiddling hicks. I'm so much more intelligent than them. 639753[/snapback] hey, now! :hayseed
December 21, 200421 yr Those stupid banjo fiddling hicks. I'm so much more intelligent than them. 639753[/snapback] hey, now! :hayseed 639850[/snapback] ...totally joking.
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