Poll: U.S. Muslims Increase Political Activity Since 9/11; Dean Tops Bush

[arcos]

Poll: U.S. Muslims Increase Political Activity Since 9/11; Dean Tops Bush, Iraq Policy Slammed, Affirmative Action Favored

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 /U.S. Newswire/ -- According to results of a poll released today by a national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group, roughly half of American Muslims surveyed say they have increased their social (58 percent), political (45 percent), interfaith (52 percent) and public relations activities (59 percent) since the 9/11 terror attacks. (A number of open-ended questions on the poll are yet to be tabulated.)

<snip>

The survey also looked at American Muslim views on political issues and on the current list of presidential candidates. When asked which Democratic Party candidate they would vote for, respondents favored Howard Dean (26 percent), Dennis Kucinich (11 percent), John Kerry (7 percent), and Carol Moseley Braun (6 percent). Only 2 percent said they would vote for President Bush. The president also fared poorly on domestic and international issues of importance to Muslims. Only one-in-ten respondents supported the president's Iraq policy.

When asked to name the political party that best represents the interests of the American Muslim community, more respondents named the Democratic Party (27 percent) and Green party (25 percent) than the Republican Party (3 percent). A large number (44 percent) said none of the parties represented their interests. When asked to name the media outlet worthy of praise for coverage of Islam and Muslims, PBS topped the list. Fox News was viewed by respondents as the media outlet exhibiting the most biased coverage.


<snip>

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=125-09102003

[a_random_joel]

1. This is pretty interesting

Arab Muslims voted 90% for Shrub in 2000, and historically tilt to the Republican party.

Interesting, indeed.

[Arun29]

6. Hell Yes! & Even Handed Negotations Can Commence!

This is extremely important. Wiht Jews declining to under 6 million in the country and most smart enough to not vote for Shrub anyway, this is why Dean is talking about being an even-handed negotiator with Israel/Pal. He has the leverage to do it now with increased activism from the Arab American community.

This means two things:
1) We are picking up several hundred thousand Arab votes next time (a swing of millions).

2) We can finally bring peace to the middle east if we don't have to be in the back pocket of the Jewish lobby.

Very positive news.

Now if only I can find a gorgeous Irani or Lebanese girl like I used to see in Montreal . . . .

[the_sam]

23. "Jewish lobby"

I think "Jewish lobby" is a misnomer. Lots of Jews aren't Zionists. And many who are Zionists still support Palestinian rights (around a third, according to most polls).

[arcos]

10. are you sure?

according to the link Nicholas_J posted below, Zogby says that Bush won the Arab American vote 45.5% to 38%.

[J B]

13. A majority of Arab-Americans are Christians.

This poll is about Moslems.

Read carefully.

[Vikingking66]

2. Well, well

Well, this is interesting.

#1 - it shows that Bush is going to lose Michigan in 2004; the Muslims were his big base there.

#2 - it shows that Dean has minority supporters. So the news media can go stuff it.

[Nicholas_J]

5. Well the CAIR poll was not done by a pollster

And the not conducted by random sample.

The poll of 644 individuals, conducted by the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in August, indicates that almost half of American Muslims (49 percent) say they are now more public about their Muslim identity and have increased donations to local or national Islamic organizations (42 percent). (Surveys were faxed and e-mailed to Muslim individuals and organizations nationwide.)


http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=125-09102003




Poll Shows Declining Arab American Support for Bush
Kerry, Dean Lead among Democrats
Arab American Institute

7/17/03


Washington— A new poll conducted for the Arab American Institute by Zogby International (ZI) of New York reports that support for President George W. Bush has continued to decline. Of 500 Arab American voters surveyed nationwide in July 2003, only one third said they would vote for Bush if the presidential election were held today (The poll has a margin of error of ± 4.5%.) The results have been compared with earlier polls done by AAI/ZI in October 2001, May 2002, and October 2002.

· Kerry, Dean lead

Slightly more than 14% of Arab American Democrats and Independents polled said they would vote for Senator John Kerry or former Governor Howard Dean if the Democratic primary were held today.

http://aljazeerah.info/News%20archives/2003%20News%20archives/July%20/17%20n/Poll%20Shows%20Declining%20Arab%20American%20Support%20for%20BushKerry,%20Dean%20Lead%20among%20Democrats.htm

Most recent poll donme by a pollster

[NWHarkness]

8. It's great news in Michigan

Bush is going to have an uphill fight here, and without the heavy Arab American support he got in 2000, in addition to the fact that we now have a very popular Democratic governor, it's going to be a whole lot tougher for him in 2004.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

18. Great News unquestionably but.......

how popular is Granholm with all of the budget problems? Most Governors are very unpopular right now!

[RamboLiberal]

3. Interesting - does anyone know how many Muslim Americans?

Also note Jewish Americans are declining. Just some interesting stats.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/964342.asp?0cv=CB20

The number of American Jews has dropped 5 percent, to 5.2 million, in the past decade, the result of a low birth rate combined with slightly rising levels of intermarriage, according to a new survey.

[arcos]

9. more or less 3 million...

"2. How many Arab Americans are there?
This is the subject of some debate. Estimates vary because the U.S. Census Bureau does not use an Arab American classification and because people identify themselves in various ways. Some Arab Americans identify themselves as Middle Eastern, for example. Recent immigrants from many countries are reluctant to give personal and confidential information to the government, and an increasing number of people have more than one ethnicity. Estimates of Arab Americans living in the United States are about 3 million. "

http://www.freep.com/jobspage/arabs/arab1.html

[PsychoDad]

16. please note...

You are talking Arab Americans, not American muslims. There is a difference. There are many more Muslims in the US than just folks of arab descent.

[MoonAndSun]

4. Whoa Nelly, this is a very important bloc of voters, looks like good

news for the Dems, and Dean in particular.

[NWHarkness]

14. Also consider

That the Muslim vote takes on added significance because it is concentrated in a few big electoral states, particularly California, Michigan and New Jersey.

[Noordam]

21. And 50,000 in Florida

nt

[RevolutionStartsNow]

7. "Dean tops Bush"

Sweeter words have rarely been spoken!

Damn, that made my day!

[David__77]

11. We need Arab-Americans and Muslims in the Democratic Party.

The GOP will demagogue about "social issues" to appeal to conservative Muslims, but it won't work when it's clear that the GOP wants to wage a clash of civilizations. They can be part of a great alliance, which by the way includes most American Jews.

[PsychoDad]

17. Dean had it when.....

He called for an "even handed" relationship with Israel and Palistine.

Then he back peddled on that too...

[Equinox]

24. Definitely agreed....

Obviously there are the conservative Jew and Muslims that may remain with the GOP be the majority would be a great alliance for the left!

[ScotTissue]

12. Too bad we don't live in an Islamic country

But maybe we can run on the slogan "Muslims endorse our candidate."

Sarcasm.

[Bridget Burke]

27. Sarcasm?

Sounds like racism to me.

[cprise]

15. Wow, this is a huge opportunity for Greens

...and for progressives. American Muslims will back progressive politics with vigor if given the chance to support a friendly candidate.

"Democratic Party (27 percent) and Green party (25 percent)"

[varun]

19. Muslims are usually socially conservative

They are strongly opposed to abortion and gay rights.

That was the reason most of them voted for Bush in 2000. In FL (the swing state), some estimates say that 80% Muslims voted for Bush.

[Noordam]

20. 80% of the 50,000 Muslim voters in FLORIDA in 2000 voted

for Bush.

Enough said.

Bush with currently in jail "Terrorist" in Florida.

[the_sam]

22. A Few Thoughts

Arab Americans were until around the latter half of this century considered "white", I believe.

Society no longer defines them as "white". This, along with Bush's foreign policy and the discrimination faced by Muslims now, is contributing the this voting bloc's leftward shift.

I think people overestimate social conservatism as a factor in this bloc's behavior. While it's probably true that most Arab Americans are against abortion, I'm willing to venture that most of them are in favor of separation of church and state, too. Also, most progressive positions on social issues amount not so much to advocacy of a particular lifestyle as advocacy of acceptance that people have the freedom to choose a particular lifestyle. Being pro-choice isn't the same thing as being pro-abortion.

In addition, people underestimate this bloc's potential economic leftism. There is a strong social justice tradition in Islam.

As far as foreign policy goes, there are uncritical supporters of Israel in both parties; but there are more people willing to champion the cause of Palestinian self-determination in the Democratic Party. There are virtually none in the Republican Party. And of course, the Democratic Party is the party of peace and international cooperation.

[jmm]

25. I believe they were also considered white in the 2000 census.

I agree with what you're saying.

[varun]

26. Most of the Muslims

in America are from South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh)..and not Arabs.

South Asians do not consider themselves White...rather Asian (or mixed).