“Most U.S. Muslims reject suicide bombings,” AP reports? Nope!
From Michelle:
***update: the headline now more accurately reads: “Some US Muslims justify suicide attacks”…Newsbusters has more***
“Most U.S. Muslims reject suicide bombings,” AP reports.
Here’s what should be headlined from the article about a new Pew poll (which you can find here):
Headline:
“One in four younger U.S. Muslims say suicide bombings to defend their religion are acceptable at least in some circumstances…”
Headline:
While nearly 80 percent of U.S. Muslims say suicide bombings of civilians to defend Islam can not be justified, 13 percent say they can be, at least rarely.That sentiment is strongest among those younger than 30. Two percent of them say it can often be justified, 13 percent say sometimes and 11 percent say rarely.
“It is a hair-raising number,” said Radwan Masmoudi, president of the Washington-based Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy, which promotes the compatibility of Islam with democracy.
Â
Headline:
Only 5 percent of U.S. Muslims expressed favorable views of the terrorist group al-Qaida, though about a fourth did not express an opinion.
That’s about 29 percent of U.S. Muslims surveyed who have favorable or unknown views about al Qaeda.
Headline: Nearly Three in Ten U.S. Muslims have favorable views/no opinion of al Qaeda.
Yes, that’s hair-raising.
Noel Sheppard has a followup item about the evolving headline. He also links to Little Green Footballs, which is also tracking the story.
***
In related news: Florida Doctor Convicted of Supporting Terrorists By Agreeing to Treat Wounded Al Qaeda Fighters
Other blogging:
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May 23, 2007 - 04:13 AM on May 23rd, 2007
I don’t understand that “Nope!” of your headline, when the poll says that four of five (average aged) muslims reject sucicide bombings…
And as a contrast, I would like to see (especially amongst the visitors of this site) a poll on the question:
Do you accept collateral damage/loss of civilian life in conventional bombings related to a war which is supposed to promote freedom or to “liberate” people?
Honestly, what difference does it make if a dozen people are killed intentionally by some idiot who blows himself up, or as a mistake because the bomb hit the wrong target.. Dead is dead! …and who intentionally accepts the risk that innocent people are killed is not much better than a suicde bomber!
May 23, 2007 - 04:30 AM on May 23rd, 2007
you didn’t take the time to actually read what I posted then did you? The AP misled you, which was their intent, and when called out on it, had to run the ame story with different headlines….
May 23, 2007 - 05:13 AM on May 23rd, 2007
2- Why does AP mislead somebody?
Also the PDF-document (the new Pew poll) mentions similar figures as the AP article. One can declare a glas to be both “half full” and “half empty” but a 4:1 relation is a relatively big share versus a relatively small share. Is 75-80% not a percentage that one may call “most”?
May 23, 2007 - 01:09 PM on May 23rd, 2007
Most muslims want to live a full good life they know where those who commit suiside go its very unpleasent place:eek:
May 24, 2007 - 03:58 AM on May 24th, 2007
Poll finds 29 percent of Muslims in US support ter
A year after the UK Telegraph published a poll that showed that 40 percent of British Muslims wanted Shari’a law in the UK, now there comes more disturbing news that Muslims in America aren’t far behind. According to this Pew Research Center poll via…
May 28, 2007 - 11:31 AM on May 28th, 2007
I would hasten to guess that most Muslims reject suicide bombings. However, 1 percent of 3 billion is still 30 million and it only took 19 misguided Islamofascist idiots to destroy the World Trade Center, damage the Pentagon, and a field in PA and take almost 3000 people with them. Even 1 percent is too many. If we can’t evict 12 million illegal aliens, exactly how are we going to stop 30 million islamofascists with bombs and a death wish without simply wiping out a lot of innocent people? Here are the two options:
1. Convert to Islam and live under Sharia Law. This is the only option that the islamofascists have said they will accept.
2. Kill every Islamofascist terrorist and jail anyone supporting them possible making it VERY uncomfortable for them to even spout their hate filled garbage.
Personally I know that the liberals think there are other options, but the Islamofascists have made their demands and are not willing to compromise. As we vacillate they only get stronger. I know that most Mulims simply want to live their lives and enjoy the freedoms of this country. What I don’t see is them standing up and condemning these murderous thugs who have highjacked their religion.
May 28, 2007 - 12:01 PM on May 28th, 2007
Personally I know that the liberals think there are other options, but the Islamofascists have made their demands and are not willing to compromise. As we vacillate they only get stronger. I know that most Mulims simply want to live their lives and enjoy the freedoms of this country. What I don’t see is them standing up and condemning these murderous thugs who have highjacked their religion.
A few responses…
1) Since terrorist attacks come from a variety of quarters, the idea that all terrorists have made the demand that we “convert to Islam and live under Sharia Law” seems a little questionable. I know that the most common criticism of the US from terrorists (and Middle-Eastern Muslims more generally) regards our continued support for Israel. In the case of the 9/11 attacks, it was (according to OBL) both our support for Israel and the presence of U.S. military bases in Saudi Arabia that was the cause. I’ve never actually heard anyone (much less anyone claiming to speak for all terrorists) say that we must convert to Islam and live under Sharia law to stop the attacks. Could you provide a link to this information?
2. There were a huge number of articles in which U.S. Muslims condemned terrorism immediately after September 11. There hasn’t been an event of this magnitude in the U. S. since, so I suspect that this is why U.S. Muslims aren’t saying much (if they indeed aren’t—have you asked them?) to criticize terrorism. Most likely, U.S. Muslims think of themselves as Americans and don’t feel the need to apologize for every act committed by a non-American Muslim. Similarly, I’ve never felt the need to apologize for IRA bombings, despite the fact that my background is Irish Catholic.
3. As for their being no other options concerning terrorism: How about not meddling in the middle east unnecessarily (when, as all of the U.S. govt’s own reports have shown time and time again, our actions only produce more terrorists and more terrorist attacks) and instead working to secure our borders. This is the libertarian response (and the response of Ron Paul, the sole conservative among the new batch of republican candidates), which I’d expect you of all people to support.
May 28, 2007 - 01:08 PM on May 28th, 2007
AKD…you obviously have not heard OBL jihadist declaration against the US and Israel. He does in fact state that we will convert or die. He also wants us to leave Somalia (and the others you mentioned) and to leave the middle east oil supply alone. Unless the dems allow legislation to be passed that allows us to open the Alaskan oil reserves, build and refurbish new refineries and invest in nuclear energy and wind farms we can’t stop buying oil from them. We also cannot and should not turn our backs on Israel.
Ron Paul is a jerk imo. To blame America for the problems in the middle east is ludicrous. While those problems don’t have simple solutions America is NOT one of the problems.
May 28, 2007 - 01:10 PM on May 28th, 2007
I agree that American Muslims think of themselves as Americans first and no need to apologize. And you are correct. They do not have anything to apologize about. HOWEVER, they are Americans and by virtue of the fact they are Muslims they should really be trying very hard to get the message out that they renounce radical Islam and that they want to help with this problem. To not do so is just as irresponsible.