The Good, The Bad, and The Idiocy

The Pew Research Center released a survey yesterday of Muslim-Americans that has been covered in the press. Most of the coverage runs under headlines such as "Muslim Assimilate Better In US" and Most US Muslims Reject Suicide Bombings." While I am relieved to know that "most" reject suicide bombings, I find the results as a whole disconcerting, moreso since the media seems to be ignoring that part of the story.

According the survey, "many doubt that Arabs were responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Just 40% of Muslim Americans say groups of Arabs carried out those attacks." Given that Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility, isn't this like saying 40% of Muslim Americans don't believe the sky is blue?

What I find more disturbing is that "younger Muslims in the U.S. are much more likely than older Muslim Americans to say that suicide bombing in the defense of Islam can be at least sometimes justified." NO!!! Suicide bombings are NEVER justified. If you feel oppressed, or believe that something is wrong, vote, protest, lobby, or do any one of dozens of options that don't involve taking innocent lives. Most people killed in suicide bombings have nothing to do with the conflict that the bomber is interested in. This is NEVER acceptable.

Additionally, according to the survey, "Fewer native-born African American Muslims than others completely condemn al Qaeda." These are people born in the United States, with more rights and freedoms than any other country on the planet. Yet something in these people believe that Al Qaeda might be right.

It is inconceivable that people can read these numbers and think that the news is good because it isn't "most" Muslim Americans.

Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried.
- Winston Churchill