http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...civil_liberties

Nearly Half in U.S. Say Restrict Muslims

By WILLIAM KATES, Associated Press Writer

ITHACA, N.Y. - Nearly half of all Americans believe the U.S. government should restrict the civil liberties of Muslim Americans, according to a nationwide poll.

The survey conducted by Cornell University also found that Republicans and people who described themselves as highly religious were more apt to support curtailing Muslims' civil liberties than Democrats or people who are less religious.

Researchers also found that respondents who paid more attention to television news were more likely to fear terrorist attacks and support limiting the rights of Muslim Americans.

"It's sad news. It's disturbing news. But it's not unpredictable," said Mahdi Bray, executive director of the Muslim American Society. "The nation is at war, even if it's not a traditional war. We just have to remain vigilant and continue to interface."

The survey found 44 percent favored at least some restrictions on the civil liberties of Muslim Americans. Forty-eight percent said liberties should not be restricted in any way.

The survey showed that 27 percent of respondents supported requiring all Muslim Americans to register where they lived with the federal government. Twenty-two percent favored racial profiling to identify potential terrorist threats. And 29 percent thought undercover agents should infiltrate Muslim civic and volunteer organizations to keep tabs on their activities and fund-raising.

Cornell student researchers questioned 715 people in the nationwide telephone poll conducted this fall. The margin of error was 3.6 percentage points.

James Shanahan, an associate professor of communications who helped organize the survey, said the results indicate "the need for continued dialogue about issues of civil liberties" in a time of war.

While researchers said they were not surprised by the overall level of support for curtailing civil liberties, they were startled by the correlation with religion and exposure to television news.

"We need to explore why these two very important channels of discourse may nurture fear rather than understanding," Shanahan said.

According to the survey, 37 percent believe a terrorist attack in the United States is still likely within the next 12 months. In a similar poll conducted by Cornell in November 2002, that number stood at 90 percent.

A little mental exercise.

If you are standing in line at the airport behind two people, one a grandmotherly/grandfatherly type who would appear to the average person to be non-threatening, calm, and a man/woman who would appear to the average person to be middle eastern in appearance and is nervous looking.

Here is the question. What would your reaction be if security asked the grandmotherly/grandfatherly type to step aside for a more detailed inspection of their belongings and person? At the same time you saw this occuring, you see that the other person is waved thru without so much as a second glance?

The whole issue of profiling is a tacky one. And yet, I do believe, as much as it goes against my grain, that profiling is a legitimate exercise. It became an issue on the NJ Turnpike a while back. Who was more likely to be running drugs from Florida up to NYC? The little old lady in the Buick Riviera, or the black guy with the dew rag driving some hot car? Well, same as the people at the airports. We can't help but be more suspicious of the Middle Eastern shifty looking person you describe, IGMY, than of the little white grandmother. BUT, having said that, does that give us the right to curtail the freedoms and liberties of all Muslims in this country? Do we lock them up in internment camps like we did the Japanese during WWII? Do we automatically check all people of Arab dissent because they might be terrorists? It's a very sticky question, and I don't know the answer to it. I do know, however, that frisking the average white grandmother is a waste of our tax dollars, whereas frisking a young Arab male might lead to pay dirt. But 99.99999999% of them are innocent. Do we infringe on all their rights for that .00000000001%? It might mean avoiding another 9/11. I just don't know the answer to this one.

I do not agree with internment camps as the orignal post spoke of.

What if you were asked a series of questions as you went through security at the airport? Questions designed so that the security personel can see what kind of reaction it gets. Today, that is something I don't think occurs.

I am sure mistakes would be made, but they are today when the little old lady gets pulled aside.

I think it would be reasonable to ask questions, as you suggest. A lot can be gleaned from the way a person answers and the way they look when they answer. Of course, nervous types would get pulled out a lot, but that would be a small price to pay. The thing is, they'd have to ask EVERYONE. You think the lines are bad today? Imagine how they'd be then. I don't know if people would stand for it, and again, they'd complain about their rights being infringed upon (and they'd have a point). Personally, though, I'd be willing to answer questions if it would mean they might catch some people. It's the same as when you enter another country and they ask you why you're there, where you're staying, how long you'll be there, etc. No one objects to that.

I think it is totally wrong, that's like saying all Muslims are terrrorists and we know that's not true, maybe one out of ten-thousand are terrorists, this in my opinion is another form of republican racism. First Muslims than who's next???? I have seen middle-eastern people in everyday life and they are no different than you or I. And no they didn't act weird or look like they were up to something, Gee, maybe they were going to blow up Wal-Mart. See how rediculous that sounds, they were just shopping like everybody else.

You'd be against asking people questions? Why, if they ask everyone, same as they do at customs when you enter another country?

I'm not against asking SOME questions, but taking people's civil liberties away??? I just feel they will overdo it, to the point it could become unjust harassment, it's not like that hasn't already happened at airports.

Yes, there's always that danger, and with the Bush administration in power, I'd be even more concerned about it. It's hard to know where to strike an even balance, though, between people's civil liberties and public safety.