Fighting the wrong enemy

The “war on terror” notches up yet another victory:

A new Gallup poll finds that many Americans – what it calls “substantial minorities” – harbour “negative feelings or prejudices against people of the Muslim faith” in this country. Nearly one in four Americans, 22%, say they would not like to have a Muslim as a neighbour.

While Americans tend to disagree with the notion that Muslims living in the United States are sympathetic to al-Qaeda, a significant 34% believe they do back al-Qaeda. And fewer than half – 49% – believe U.S. Muslims are loyal to the United States.

Almost four in ten, 39%, advocate that Muslims here should carry special I.D. That same number admit that they do hold some “prejudice” against Muslims. Forty-four percent say their religious views are too “extreme.”

In every case, Americans who actually know any Muslims are more sympathetic.… 

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