Letters to the Editor

• Back to the mat it can seem as if the guy standing over you is lying down

  [Read the article: Jamie Kirchick's fantasies of the grave Muslim threat]
  [Read more letters about this article: Here]

  Golden Boy, there's a refutation of the Pew Poll that's been posted for you. I would argue much the same way and since I can't be asked to preach to someone with their fingers in their ears, I'll take the short cut and repost the link.

  http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/05/22/polls/index.html

  Some highlights:

  "Polling data of this type can be used to "demonstrate" that substantial numbers of virtually every religious group within America holds similar views, and in many cases, views which are even more extremist and, one could say, rather deranged. A 2005 Pew poll, for instance, found that large majorities of Christians believe in torture -- not "enhanced interrogation techniques," but torture"

  and:

  "...the Pew Poll from today itself revealed that 42% of American Christians -- 42% -- consider themselves "Christians first," not "Americans first."

  There is more to your hopelessly obtuse interpretation of that poll's findings that is not pointed out in Glenn's piece. Foremost among that is your liberal (small l) application of the percentage of persons who answered "I don't know" to their view of Al Qaeda to whatever classification fits your argument. Fyi, the GWM patented 'what's your gut telling you' method is not something statisticians sanction. Rather it is something that talk radio morons indulge in that anyone with half a brain must suffer. Less obvious but also important is that the very small number of Muslims in the US who support Al Qaeda is tiny by comparison with the poll's margin for error, which means we really do not know the number of people who sympathize with these extremists, but, in any case, that it is not unlikely to be smaller than the proportion of home grown radical militia-men that want to violently overthrow the federal government a la Timothy McVeigh. Finally as regards the poll, it included vast number of foreign born Muslims, possibly including as well many recently immigrated, who are taking with them the views prevalent in their home countries which the Bush administration has been so key in fomenting.

  Glenn's army taking it on the chin indeed.

  Finally, as for what you would have done about this, and how my characterization of it is off the mark, your no contest plea has yet to convince me. You point to dark accusations of the intentions of Muslims in our midst without wanting to be the first to point up what that these "facts" mean we must do about it to protect ourselves- even as it's as obvious as the towel on a Muslim's head. So, please, don't force me to speak for you. Given the important facts you've availed us, the followers of Muslim-apologist Glen Greenwald, of, what should America do? After all, we can't just sit around hoping that this Evil Force will not come after us. Right?

  Permalink Friday, September 14, 2007 11:28 AM