Muslims in U.S. lean to Democrats

[TYLERTECHSAS]

OK..this is an interesting tidbit. I guess I'm not surprised.


Poll shows Muslims in U.S. lean to Democrats


Tue Oct 24, 2006 2:42pm ET

http://today.reuters.com/misc/GenIma...pg&resize=w192

Politics News

By Deborah Charles
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More American Muslims are now supporting the Democratic Party but their votes should not be taken for granted, an Islamic civil rights group said on Tuesday.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, released a poll of 1,000 registered Muslim voters in the United States it said showed the community has changed a great deal since supporting Republicans in 2000.
The poll found 42 percent of respondents were Democrats and 17 percent Republican, while some 28 percent had no party affiliation, said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad.



"It shows that Muslim community votes should not be taken for granted," said Awad, adding: "There's a shift in their political orientation."
The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Estimates of the number of Muslim Americans vary between 3 million and 7 million. Eighty-nine percent of those surveyed said they vote regularly.

In 2000, American Muslims endorsed and voted for Republican candidate George W. Bush, but they switched to support the Democrats in 2004 to protest what was seen as anti-Muslim policies by the Bush administration. CAIR research director Mohamed Nimer said the survey showed American Muslims were most concerned about civil liberties -- an issue that has dominated the community since the September 11 attacks carried out by Muslim extremists -- and education.



Foreign policy issues followed closely behind, it showed.
"There is a tremendous opposition to the Bush administration policies," Nimer said, citing the 55 percent of respondents who felt the war on terror has become a war on Islam.
Eighty-eight percent believed the Iraq war was not worthwhile for the United States and 90 percent were against using military means to spread democracy around the world.
The survey also showed about 43 percent of those questioned felt they had been discriminated against or been the subject of racial profiling.



Since the September 11 attacks, news of domestic wiretapping, monitoring of mosques, immigration crackdowns, public support for racial profiling and bans on some Muslim scholars visiting the United States made many Muslim Americans feel like targets of racism.
CAIR officials said Muslim political groups had not yet decided to endorse a party for the upcoming November 7 elections. But they have launched an aggressive effort in Muslim communities across the country to register voters, and then plan on getting people to actually vote.
© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.



http://today.reuters.com/news/articl...politicsNews-3

[champion110]

Looks like they are shifting just like all Americans are. Are you saying that this is a bad thing? These are American citizens just like me and you.

They are just realizing what a mess this gov't has us in.

[CChandler]

I ask that was please make an effort to differentiate between Muslims and terrorists.

I have many mainstream muslim friends, and they are good people.

[TYLERTECHSAS]

The article is about American Muslims not terrorist operating from abroad. However, if you want some insight into what they believe and follow, I suggest you buy a Koran or one with a commentary such as the one written by Moody Adams. It will be an eye opener for some of you I promise.

[sik-m-boi]

The article is about American Muslims not terrorist operating from abroad. However, if you want some insight into what they believe and follow, I suggest you buy a Koran or one with a commentary such as the one written by Moody Adams. It will be an eye opener for some of you I promise.

i find that statement suspect. only because i know extremely peaceful muslims who hate terrorism and could care less that i am a christian (a couple have even said that they believe--according to their beliefs--that i will be with them in heaven). it's just like any religion; its practitioners often pick and choose what they choose to adhere to...you can see it in judaism, islam, and christianity. my point is: yeah, the koran may be geared more toward violence than we westerners are comfortable with, but just like it can be perverted to endorse terrorism (and i think those who justify their actions with the koran do believe that they are doing the will of allah) it most certainly can be turned the other direction (those taking that view believing that that position, too, is koran-justified). it makes me uncomfortable to lump all those who claim islam into one expressed belief structure...if you had stated 'insight into what the koran actually says' i would not have a problem. i know it's semamntics, but i just got finished taking an ethics class, so i'm kind of stuck on wording.

[TYLERTECHSAS]

I would only agree that there are "Christians" that don't read or know the bible nor in reality what their "religion or faith" actually believe". Hence many of these "Christian" do not follow the true teachings of Christ or the Bible. Likewise, some of your Muslim friends and probably a large portion of American Muslims probably do not know or read their Koran nor attend the preaching/teachings of their mainstream Muslim Clerics to know how truly evil it is. BTW, the Koran is geared more toward violence; not maybe. Please buy one or buy the commentary I recommended above. Sorry, but whether this makes you uncomfortable or not is not the point.

[sik-m-boi]

i have a koran...i've read about half of it. but in all honesty, i'll likely never finish it. it's been my experience that muslims who want to argue the validity of their faith against that of judaism or christianity don't listen to you when you quote from their own book. it's not that the book being violent makes me uncomfortable it's the blanket categorization of them as condoning violence (not that that is exactly what you said). my friends go to prayer services 3-4 times a week and take their prayer very seriously and still hate terror and love the US (if not all its policies). now, all that said, it doesn't make their belief true...it is a practice of worshipping a false god and my friends know (in no uncertain terms) what i believe and what i think of their beliefs...we talk about it regularly.

[champion110]

There was a long show on NPR the other day about the "translations" of the Koran and how it has been changed as it has been handed down through history. Similar to the conversations that we have had about the Bible.

Just my 2 cents........

[TYLERTECHSAS]

i have a koran...i've read about half of it. but in all honesty, i'll likely never finish it. it's been my experience that muslims who want to argue the validity of their faith against that of judaism or christianity don't listen to you when you quote from their own book. it's not that the book being violent makes me uncomfortable it's the blanket categorization of them as condoning violence (not that that is exactly what you said). my friends go to prayer services 3-4 times a week and take their prayer very seriously and still hate terror and love the US (if not all its policies). now, all that said, it doesn't make their belief true...it is a practice of worshipping a false god and my friends know (in no uncertain terms) what i believe and what i think of their beliefs...we talk about it regularly.

Excellent job! My wife currently has the same opportunity where she works. Keep planting those seeds. Friendship evangelism is one of the Holy Spirit's best tools.

[PawDawg]

There was a long show on NPR the other day about the "translations" of the Koran and how it has been changed as it has been handed down through history. Similar to the conversations that we have had about the Bible.

Just my 2 cents........

Somehow, I just knew this was coming. SPIN IT Baby!!

[TYLERTECHSAS]

Quote:
Originally Posted by champion110
There was a long show on NPR the other day about the "translations" of the Koran and how it has been changed as it has been handed down through history. Similar to the conversations that we have had about the Bible.

Just my 2 cents........

Somehow, I just knew this was coming. SPIN IT Baby!!

Now how else could Champ justify scoring a 900+ on the "Be Honest" thread test? :icon_wink: You know I am just kidding Champ. You also probably noticed I didn't post my score. All I can say is thank the Good Lord for His grace.

[champion110]

Quote: Now how else could Champ justify scoring a 900+ on the "Be Honest" thread test? :icon_wink: You know I am just kidding Champ. You also probably noticed I didn't post my score. All I can say is thank the Good Lord for His grace.

HEY! I have done some risky and, I have to admit, fun things in my life, but I don't spin!