More Than Half Of Republicans View Muslims Unfavorably

WASHINGTON — Americans doubt that Islam is likelier than other faiths to encourage violence, but their overall view of the religion has worsened over the past five years, a poll said Tuesday.

In a survey that underlined the complex views people have about Muslims, 51 percent agreed that a Muslim center should not be built near the former site of New York's World Trade Center, compared to 34 percent who said it should be permitted.

Yet at the same time, a majority – 62 percent – said Muslims should have equal rights to build houses of worship. Just 25 percent said communities should be allowed to block the construction of mosques. The poll was conducted by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center.

The poll found that by 42 percent to 35 percent, most think Islam does not incite violence more than other religions, about the same as said so last year.

But more people have unfavorable than favorable views of Islam by 38 percent to 30 percent. In 2005, it was reversed: 41 percent had favorable views, 36 percent unfavorable.

Republicans voiced negative views of Muslims by more than 2-1, with 54 voicing unfavorable views and 21 percent giving positive ones. Among Democrats, 41 percent had favorable opinions while 27 percent viewed them negatively. Views of Muslims were also unfavorable among independents, older people and those with less education.

The survey was conducted from Aug. 19-22 and involved landline and cell telephone interviews with 1,003 randomly chosen adults. It has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

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Online:

Pew Research Center: http://www.people-press.org

Comments

[Dan W Bright]

06:19 PM on 08/28/2010

these gopers are politically killing themselves.

[SDindependent]

06:11 PM on 08/25/2010

Half of republicans don't like ANYONE with more than half a brain, they consider us elitists.

[JohnnyRivers]

06:03 PM on 08/25/2010

Duh... Ya think? You've got the GOP cheerleaders of Limbaugh, Beck and Hannity pumping hate everyday into the soft weak brains of teabaggers. What would you expect?

[Landstander]

05:39 PM on 08/25/2010

"Just 25 percent said communities should be allowed to block the construction of mosques. "

This gets overlooked but this is a rather disappointing statistic. I mean it could be much worse and it's not all that surprising, but still.

[ZiloRS]

05:58 PM on 08/25/2010

And if that were Christian churches, how many riots would there be, I wonder? TONS.

[midwestgirl1960]

05:23 PM on 08/25/2010

Well I have the the same feelings about Conservative Christians and the Republicans/ Tea baggers.

[oafishcad]

05:05 PM on 08/25/2010

I view Islam, not muslims, unfavorably. The religion is intolerant, sexist and amazingly homophobic. I don't think any of those are favorable traits. Sorry, I don't. Of course the same description could be used for Evangelicals, even Catholics, and many other religions. I view them unfavorably too. They're all jerks. I'll speak up and defend their right to worship their small minded gods in groups, just as I would defend any religion. And I know, because I know many members of all these religions, that individual people are decent caring good people. But I'm not going to get all Kumbayah about a religion that teaches bigotry.

[mw21]

05:44 PM on 08/25/2010

I'll bet the poll did not present their questions in the same context that you do. In your context I would have to agree that the three "big" (read "most influential") religious groups deserve an unfavorable rating as they are the groups inciting most if not all of the current world conflict. Coincidence or design?

[oafishcad]

06:20 PM on 08/25/2010

My rule when judging a religion (yes, I think I have the right) is, the more rules your religion has, and the more groups it excludes from inclusion and equality, the further it is from universal truth. Bottom line, play nice. Don't make other people miserable.

[kimleehan]

04:58 PM on 08/25/2010

Human nature states that humans must have someone to look down on, if not racial than religious minorities will do but here they get a double wammy.

[kimleehan]

04:55 PM on 08/25/2010

There is no such thing as a moderate Republican anymore, they are all over the top extremists, the moderates left the party years ago.

[ZiloRS]

05:56 PM on 08/25/2010

But the question is, where did they go? I always say that it's not the Republicans I dislike, it's the parties. Of course you run into the irrational, foaming-at-the-mouth types here on HP, but a lot of them are pretty decent people, I'm sure. Occasionally someone who isn't embarrassed by their party will self identify as a Republican and they will mention the issues they care about, but they sound closer to what the left cares about, accepting maybe a few issues. I find that to be the most telling. I say it all the time, but this country is not as far right as the Republicans want you to believe it is. There is a moderate middle somewhere that I wish the left could get in contact with so that the real crazies on the right can be properly ostracized from the party and the left can have rational conversations with them again.

[jeremyfive]

04:55 PM on 08/25/2010

I am not a Muslim, but I view the GOP 100% unfavorably.

[reviewingthesituation]

04:27 PM on 08/25/2010

These narrow polls are dreadful. I bet more than half of Republicans (the non-Mormon ones) believe that Mormonism is a cult.

I wonder how many Republicans actually know any Muslims, have shared a meal with one or visited one of their homes. Most of us pass by Muslims every day and don't know we're doing so unless it's a woman in a headscarf, which many, many American Muslims don't wear.

[Rainiermec]

06:46 PM on 08/25/2010

Most Christian Churches do not consider Mormonism a Christian religion. They do in fact consider it a cult.

[barkingcat]

04:10 PM on 08/25/2010

"More Than Half Of Republicans View Muslims Unfavorably"...?

What, upside down? Sideways?

Through dung-stained glasses?

Figures...

[PoliticalRockChick]

03:59 PM on 08/25/2010

More than half of Republicans view non-whites unfavorably. Nothing new.

[Rainiermec]

06:47 PM on 08/25/2010

Tea-Bagger Flagger in the house.

[irishred]

03:41 PM on 08/25/2010

While headlines such as this one and among others republican polls regarding President Obama may seem to represent a bigger number rather than what it actually is. I do wish they would add what percentage of americans overall who identify themselves as republicans. I think it is 25%. So when reading about how many republicans believed that Obama is not a christian or is a muslim, please remember those percentages is from the 25%. A very small number, indeed.

[midwestgirl1960]

05:24 PM on 08/25/2010

agreed!!! nice point almost as bad as they claim Fox news is the most watch 1.5 million out of 350 million is peanuts.

[ZiloRS]

05:53 PM on 08/25/2010

Frankly, and I think we on the left totally realize this, but maybe others are lagging behind...there is about 20-25 percent of this country that is ALWAYS going to have the fringe views that most of society is either on the fence about or completely rejects. It's why we can make fun of people like the Teabaggers. They represents an irrational minority that no matter what the issue changes to, they will take the so-called "wrong side of history" stance on. Sometimes they start off with legitimate ideas or concerns, but they just take it too far and become the fringe.

[MoeJava]

03:28 PM on 08/25/2010

probably safe to say... more than half of muslims view republicans unfavorably
.

[StopMakingSense2]

03:19 PM on 08/25/2010

The republican party doesn't function without a boogie man. Their unifying theme is fear and hatred. No surprise here!