Written by Don Byrd
A troubling new poll finds that while 82% of Americans believe it is important to protect the religious freedom of Christians in this country, only 61% say the same about protecting the rights of Muslims to practice their religion in the United States. That discrepancy seems to reflect a measure of anti-Muslim sentiment that is present in both Republican (88-60), Democratic (83-67), and Independent (69-49) respondents.
Associated Press reports the poll may be in line with other recent surveys:
A Pew Research Center survey last year found an increasing share of Americans believe Islam is more likely than other religions to encourage violence among its followers. Several outspoken critics have emerged who argue Islam itself is a threat to the U.S.
“These numbers seem to be part of a growing climate of anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States,” said Madihha Ahussain, an attorney for Muslim Advocates, a California-based civil rights group. “This climate of hatred has contributed to dozens of incidents of anti-Muslim violence in recent weeks.”
Helen Decker, 65, a West Texas Christian who reads the Bible regularly, believes strongly that religious freedom should be provided to people of all faiths or no faith, including for her grandson whom she said is an atheist. But she said Muslims can only earn the same religious liberty protections “under certain circumstances – that they can show that they are not a radical Muslim.”
Decker’s view, as reported by AP, begins with a properly broad understanding of religious freedom for all, but undercuts that principle by insisting Muslims must “earn” religious freedom, and qualify only “under certain circumstances.” That, of course, is not what the First Amendment says, or can mean.
The poll also indicates 55% of Americans believe the U.S. government is doing a good job protecting the freedom of religion.
