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By WILLIAM KATES, Associated Press Writer
ITHACA, N.Y. – 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.
The survey showed that 27 percent of respondents supported requiring all Muslim Americans to register where they lived with the federal
government. Twenty-two percent favored racial profiling to identify
potential terrorist threats. And 29 percent thought undercover agents
should infiltrate Muslim civic and volunteer organizations to keep tabs
on their activities and fund-raising.
Cornell student researchers questioned 715 people in the nationwide
telephone poll conducted this fall. The margin of error was 3.6
percentage points.
James Shanahan, an associate professor of communications who helped
organize the survey, said the results indicate “the need for continued
dialogue about issues of civil liberties” in a time of war.
While researchers said they were not surprised by the overall level of
support for curtailing civil liberties, they were startled by the
correlation with religion and exposure to television news.
“We need to explore why these two very important channels of discourse
may nurture fear rather than understanding,” Shanahan said.
According to the survey, 37 percent believe a terrorist attack in the
United States is still likely within the next 12 months. In a similar
poll conducted by Cornell in November 2002, that number stood at 90
percent.
