The libertarian in me was initially dismayed when I saw the above headline. Then I read the story.
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.
….
Cornell student researchers questioned 715 people in the nationwide telephone poll conducted this fall. The margin of error was 3.6 percentage points.
As with most surveys, the key lies in the questions and how the answers are interpreted. According to this story, the polling consisted of only four questions.
The survey asked respondents about four specific restrictions, all of which have been seriously suggested, noted Shanahan.
Specifically, the survey found:
- 27 percent of respondents said all Muslim Americans should be required to register their location with the federal government.
- 26 percent said mosques should be closely monitored by U.S. law enforcement agencies.
- 29 percent agreed undercover law enforcement agents should infiltrate Muslim civic and volunteer organizations to keep tabs on their activities and fund raising.
- 22 percent said the federal government should profile citizens as potential threats based on the fact they are Muslim or have Middle Eastern heritage.
Apparently a “yes” response to any one of these four questions lumps would lump a respondent into the 44% favoring restrictions, while a “no” to all would go into the 48% opposing restrictions.
Well, lump me in with those 44% bastards. I’d go no to the first question, but feel that, to a certain degree, the other three should be considered and pursued given the nature of our current enemy. Welcome to the realities of this war, folks.
I wonder about the unmentioned 8% whose answers apparently consisted of some combination of “no” or “beats the hell outta me, fella” or “what’s a Muslim?”