humanities.philosophy.objectivism

"Potroast" wrote in message
news:5541e771-8fcb-4fa7-830b-47eadf0ba2b3@n77g2000hse.googlegroups.com...

> http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iZlsZRgzHmgwj6sKpA7PR5F5Ecsw

More to the story than what Gallop chose to release early...

___________
http://www.danielpipes.org/article/3706
[Pew Poll on] How Muslims Think
by Daniel Pipes
New York Sun
June 27, 2006

[NY Sun title: "Survey of World's Muslims Yields Dismaying Results"]

How do Muslims worldwide think?

To find out, the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press carried out
a large-scale attitudinal survey this spring. Titled "The Great Divide: How
Westerners and Muslims View Each Other," it interviewed Muslims in two
batches of countries: six of them with long-standing, majority-Muslim
populations (Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey) and
four of them in Western Europe with new, minority Muslim populations
(France, Germany, Britain, and Spain).

The survey, which also looks at Western views of Muslims, yielded some
dismaying but not altogether surprising results. Its themes can be grouped
under three rubrics.

A proclivity to conspiracy theories: In not one Muslim population polled
does a majority believe that Arabs carried out the attacks of September 11,
2001, on America. The proportions range from a mere 15% in Pakistan holding
Arabs responsible, to 48% among French Muslims. Confirming recent negative
trends in Turkey, the number of Turks who point the finger at Arabs has
declined to 16% today from 46% in 2002. In other words, in every one of
these 10 Muslim communities, a majority views September 11 as a hoax
perpetrated by the American government, Israel, or some other agency.

Likewise, Muslims are widely prejudiced against Jews, ranging from 28%
unfavorable ratings among French Muslims to 98% in Jordan (which, despite
the monarchy's moderation, has a majority Palestinian Arab population).
Further, Muslims in certain countries (especially Egypt and Jordan) see Jews
conspiratorially, as being responsible for bad relations between Muslims and
Westerners.

Conspiracy theories also pertain to larger topics. Asked, "What is most
responsible for Muslim nations' lack of prosperity?" between 14% (in
Pakistan) and 43% (in Jordan) blame the policies of America and other
Western states, as opposed to indigenous problems, such as a lack of
democracy or education, or the presence of corruption or radical Islam.

This conspiracism points to a widespread unwillingness in the umma to deal
with realities, preferring the safer bromides of plots, schemes, and
intrigues. It also exposes major problems adjusting to modernity.

Support for terrorism: All the Muslim populations polled display a solid
majority of support for Osama bin Laden. Asked whether they have confidence
in him, Muslims replied positively, ranging between 8% (in Turkey) and 72%
(in Nigeria). Likewise, suicide bombing is popular. Muslims who call it
justified range from 13% (in Germany) to 69% (in Nigeria). These appalling
numbers suggest that terrorism by Muslims has deep roots and will remain a
danger for years to come.

British and Nigerian Muslims are most alienated: Britain stands out as a
paradoxical country. Non-Muslims there have strikingly more favorable views
of Islam and Muslims than elsewhere in the West; for example, only 32% of
the British sample view Muslims as violent, significantly less than their
counterparts in France (41%), Germany (52%), or Spain (60%). In the Muhammad
cartoon dispute, Britons showed more sympathy for the Muslim outlook than
did other Europeans. More broadly, Britons blame Muslims less for the poor
state of Western-Muslim relations.

But British Muslims return the favor with the most malign anti-Western
attitudes found in Europe. Many more of them regard Westerners as violent,
greedy, immoral, and arrogant than do their counterparts in France, Germany,
and Spain. In addition, whether asked about their attitudes toward Jews,
responsibility for September 11, or the place of women in Western societies,
their views are notably more extreme.

The situation in Britain reflects the "Londonistan" phenomenon, whereby
Britons preemptively cringe and Muslims respond to this weakness with
aggression.

Nigerian Muslims generally have the most belligerent views on such issues as
the state of Western-Muslim relations, the supposed immorality and arrogance
of Westerners, and support for Mr. bin Laden and suicide terrorism. This
extremism results, no doubt, from the violent state of Christian-Muslim
relations in Nigeria.

Ironically, most Muslim alienation is found in those countries where Muslims
are either the most or the least accommodated, suggesting that a middle path
is best - where Muslims do not win special privileges, as in Britain, nor
are they in an advanced state of hostility, as in Nigeria.

Overall, the Pew survey sends an undeniable message of crisis from one end
to the other of the Muslim world.