eebmore: Birds of a Feather don't Seem to Like One Another

Birds of a Feather don't Seem to Like One Another

December 20, 2004

Cornell University has released the findings of a study that shows that 44 percent of Americans believe that Muslim American’s civil liberties should, in some way, be curtailed. The funniest part of the statement was when Cornell pretended to be surprised that there was a direct correlation in their findings between an individual’s religiosity and an intolerance towards Muslim culture.

My favorite:

“Forty-two percent of highly religious respondents believe that Muslim Americans should register their whereabouts with the federal government.”

religiosity.tiff

Well ... knock me down with a giant sarcastic feather. Who would have ever guessed that there is a direct correlation between faith and intolerance?

If I was a nice guy, I would have pointed out that 66 percent of people who rate high on a level of religiosity do not, in fact, categorically believe in burning the Constitution. But, I’m more prick than nice ... luckily.

Guess what? You? Them? Same thing.

***

Similarly related (kinda: as in the religious really piss me off) compromise of civil liberties from across the pond:

A play is canceled in Birmingham, UK, after 5000 offended angry Sikhs storm theatre, injuring five police officers. Sikh Human Rights Group director,Jasdev Rai, explains “Freedom of speech is not a license to offend people.”

Um, yes it is. Prick.

05:35 PM | Permalink

Comments

be cautious of using the very broad term "faith" to mean "fundamentalist religious intolerant." There are many kinds of faith, and many levels of it.
Which just goes to show you how flawed the study is.

Posted by: zenchick at December 20, 2004 10:46 PM

a giant sarcastic feather? Heh.

Posted by: dabrettman at December 21, 2004 07:27 AM

The study was conducted as a phone poll. Seven hundred people were called, asked if they concidered themselves to be very religious, moderately religious, or not very religious. Then they were asked if they thought that All Muslim Americans should be required to register their whereabouts with the government. 42 percent of people who consider themselves highly religious said "yes.' 15 persent of people who consider themselves not very religious agreed with them. Where is there latitude for a flaw?

I didn't mean to imply that people of faith were fundamentalist and therefore intolerent (that would be quantifying religions. I'm not in the business of deciding which religions are bad and which ones are good. And this isn't an atheist diatribe. I'm not an atheist. Atheism is a faith system). I meant to state that people who considered themselves to be highly religious were statistically far more likely to be intolerant than those who don't consider themselves to be highley religious; and yes, I fully understand that that is a highly offensive statement. I'm a big supporter of the right to offend. Granted that may be obnoxous of me, but I'm okay with that.

Posted by: eebmore at December 21, 2004 06:00 PM

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