These poll numbers confuse me!

[Life_Long_Dem!]

I was watching abc news last night and they talked about the new abc news/washington post poll and said that 81 percent favored Obama attempting to fix our strained relations with Muslim nations but what confuses me most is that 48 percent say that they have an unfavorable view of Muslims while 55 percent say that they dont even have a basic knowledge of how the muslim or Islamic religion works?!!and 53 percent dont even know a Muslim. SOOOOOOO how can you have an unfavorable opinion of something you admitted to knowing NOTHING about,maybe its just me but that makes absolutely no sense whats so ever!

How important do you think it is for Obama to try to improve U.S. relations with Muslim nations - very important, somewhat important, not so important or not important at all?

----- Important ----- ----- Not important ----- No
NET Very Somewhat NET Not so Not at all opinion
3/29/09 81 46 36 18 9 10 1


25. Do you feel you do or do not have a good basic understanding of the teachings and beliefs of Islam, the Muslim religion?

Do Do not No opinion
3/29/09 45 55 *

26. Would you say you have a generally favorable or unfavorable opinion of Islam?

Favorable Unfavorable No opinion
3/29/09 41 48 11


28. Do you personally know anyone who is a Muslim, or not?

Yes No No opinion
3/29/09 47 53 1

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv...l?hpid=topnews

 

[WorldAHope]

I was watching abc news last night and they talked about the new abc news/washington post poll and said that 81 percent favored Obama attempting to fix our strained relations with Muslim nations but what confuses me most is that 48 percent say that they have an unfavorable view of Muslims while 55 percent say that they dont even have a basic knowledge of how the muslim or Islamic religion works?!!and 53 percent dont even know a Muslim. SOOOOOOO how can you have an unfavorable opinion of something you admitted to knowing NOTHING about,maybe its just me but that makes absolutely no sense whats so ever!

How important do you think it is for Obama to try to improve U.S. relations with Muslim nations - very important, somewhat important, not so important or not important at all?

----- Important ----- ----- Not important ----- No
NET Very Somewhat NET Not so Not at all opinion
3/29/09 81 46 36 18 9 10 1


25. Do you feel you do or do not have a good basic understanding of the teachings and beliefs of Islam, the Muslim religion?

Do Do not No opinion
3/29/09 45 55 *

26. Would you say you have a generally favorable or unfavorable opinion of Islam?

Favorable Unfavorable No opinion
3/29/09 41 48 11


28. Do you personally know anyone who is a Muslim, or not?

Yes No No opinion
3/29/09 47 53 1

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv...l?hpid=topnews

That means there are a lot of Americans who may not know much about Muslims, might have a negative view of Muslims, overall
(which is silly considering there are so many Muslims from many nationalities, and so much diversity. They no more all think and act alike than do Christians),
but many of these Americans also believe we should NOT be belligerent or at war with the entire Muslim world.

Ignorance can be replaced by understanding with out surrendering any sovereignty or security.
We don't need to love all Muslims, or give them deferential treatment,
but fear and hate based upon ignorance is not in our national or our mutual interests.

The essence of Capitalism is reaching out, making an offer, and haggling to create a deal.
Lats do it.

 

[Article 15]

I was watching abc news last night and they talked about the new abc news/washington post poll and said that 81 percent favored Obama attempting to fix our strained relations with Muslim nations but what confuses me most is that 48 percent say that they have an unfavorable view of Muslims while 55 percent say that they dont even have a basic knowledge of how the muslim or Islamic religion works?!!and 53 percent dont even know a Muslim. SOOOOOOO how can you have an unfavorable opinion of something you admitted to knowing NOTHING about,maybe its just me but that makes absolutely no sense whats so ever!

How important do you think it is for Obama to try to improve U.S. relations with Muslim nations - very important, somewhat important, not so important or not important at all?

You don't need to have a working knowledge of Islam to understand that suicide bombings and terrorist attacks are bad. I would also venture to say it's likely that a lot of folks link Muslim nations with prices at the gas pump. When that's the extent of your knowledge of Islam/Muslim nations then it only makes sense they would hold a negative view of them. I can't say that I disagree all that much. I understand that it is extremists that run the terrorism program but IMO Muslim nations have some of the most oppressive and backwards regimes on our planet.

That said, after seeing the way the Iraq War played out it also makes sense that the masses are more for improving relations with Muslim nations than not. We aren't thirsty for war anymore and are want to try a different route.

 

[garyd]

What's hard to figure? Joe average has other things to worry aobut in his life other than how many sects of Islam there are and which ones are nuts and which one's aren't. So if we can get the help of the sane ones in weeding out the crazies (which by the way is exactly what Bush was trying to do) and make all this crap blowing up go away he's going to be all for it. And that is by and large about as deep as he's going to get into it because as i said earlier he has other fish to fry.

 

[manifold]

how can you have an unfavorable opinion of something you admitted to knowing NOTHING about?

Interesting observation.

But then again, I know nothing about Alliebaba's vagina and yet I cannot deny having an unfavorable opinion of it. *shrug*

 

[Seraph]

So if we can get the help of the sane ones in weeding out the crazies (which by the way is exactly what Bush was trying to do).

I nearly fell off my chair laughing when I read this

 

[garyd]

Why reality is that funny? Or you are that clueless?

 

[DiveCon]

Why reality is that funny? Or you are that clueless?

i believe it would be the later.

 

[DamnYankee]

how can you have an unfavorable opinion of something you admitted to knowing NOTHING about?

Hmmm.... A fair percentage of the electorate know NOTHING about who/what they vote for/against....

 

[Skull Pilot]

personally, I don't think religion should be a factor in any diplomatic endeavors.

Our stance should be clear: We don't care what religion you practice. But if in practicing your religion, you as a country do not respect the basic tenets of equality and civil rights that our country is founded upon then we want nothing to do with you.

 

[Xenophon]

Which nations are we strained with exactly?

Last time I looked we were shoveling billions into all those shitholes.

 

[Indiana Oracle]

The Prophet is using voice on them. Seems to be working well so far.

I was watching abc news last night and they talked about the new abc news/washington post poll and said that 81 percent favored Obama attempting to fix our strained relations with Muslim nations but what confuses me most is that 48 percent say that they have an unfavorable view of Muslims while 55 percent say that they dont even have a basic knowledge of how the muslim or Islamic religion works?!!and 53 percent dont even know a Muslim. SOOOOOOO how can you have an unfavorable opinion of something you admitted to knowing NOTHING about,maybe its just me but that makes absolutely no sense whats so ever!

How important do you think it is for Obama to try to improve U.S. relations with Muslim nations - very important, somewhat important, not so important or not important at all?

----- Important ----- ----- Not important ----- No
NET Very Somewhat NET Not so Not at all opinion
3/29/09 81 46 36 18 9 10 1


25. Do you feel you do or do not have a good basic understanding of the teachings and beliefs of Islam, the Muslim religion?

Do Do not No opinion
3/29/09 45 55 *

26. Would you say you have a generally favorable or unfavorable opinion of Islam?

Favorable Unfavorable No opinion
3/29/09 41 48 11


28. Do you personally know anyone who is a Muslim, or not?

Yes No No opinion
3/29/09 47 53 1

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv...l?hpid=topnews