Mixed views on Muslims in the USA

Yet another poll about Muslims in the USA, with some postive and other disturbing results.

(32% believe American Muslims are less loyal to the U.S.) But close to half (46%) of Americans say this country allows too many immigrants to come here from Muslim countries.

A solid majority of Americans (63%) believe most Muslims in this country do not condone violence, and 40% tend to believe the Qur'an itself does not condone violence (28% feel it does). But 41% of Americans feel Muslim culture glorifies suicide.

Most Americans surveyed (52%) view Muslims who live here as more peaceable than those living outside the United States. (Only 7% think Muslims here are less peaceable.) Still, there is a high level of concern among Americans about Islamic radicals inside the United States. A majority of Americans report being either "somewhat" (38%) or "very worried" (16%) about radicals within the American Muslim community.

The concern over radicalism seems to translate into some support for FBI wiretapping of mosques. Roughly half (52%) of the poll’s respondents favor this kind of surveillance. The same number rejects the notion that Muslim Americans are unfairly singled out or profiled by law enforcement, while more than a third (38%) do think Muslims are unfairly targeted. Yet if a 9/11-style terrorist attack were to occur again, only 25% of Americans would support mass detentions of U.S. Muslims; a solid majority (60%) would oppose such detentions.

There are between 3 million and 6 million Muslims living in the United States. More than a third of adult Americans (36%) say they personally know a Muslim living in the United States. Fifty-two% of those surveyed are aware that most Muslims in this country are immigrants; 19% believe most are converts born on U.S. soil. Nearly two thirds (64%) say they would have no objection to a son or daughter dating a Muslim, and slightly more (69%) think Muslim students should be allowed to wear headscarves in class (23% think they should not).

Americans are split on whether they would vote for a qualified Muslim for political office (45% would, and the same amount would not). Younger Americans tend to be more likely to vote for a Muslim candidate. More than half (57%) of Americans between the ages of 18 and 39 say they would cast their ballot for a qualified Muslim—a number that dips to 44% for the 40-59 crowd and drops to 32% among Americans 60 and older.

This poll was conducted by Newsweek.