Fox's America Versus Muslims
Posted in Religion by Ken Thomas
A Brookings Institution
panel interpreting its poll on American attitudes towards Muslims finds: Fox News increases biases against the Religion of Peace, Americans oppose Sharia Law without knowing what it is, and so on. In contrast, consider this intrepid late question (start at 1:44:30) from an audience member who seeks to stir things up, finding the proceedings appalling. Bill Galston of Brookings responds thoughtfully, as he had earlier on the panel.
12:36 AM / September 7, 2011
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Masugi!
Excellent question Ken! Sure, it makes everyone squirm and search for softening qualifications, but it simply has to be asked. By comparison, consider how many times left-leaning journalists and pundits have asked of evangelical Christian politicians whether or not they REALLY believe that Jews are going to hell absent their conversion to faith in Christ.
Americans oppose Sharia Law without knowing what it is, and so on.
Sharia Law is a foreign practice (something manifest from its name). We have gotten along without it for 404 years. Why would 'Americans' be in favor of its introduction sans explanation??
Given that we have been pushing religious sentiment out of public venues lo these many years, why would we suddenly entertain the imposition of a set of foreign religious sentiments as a quasi-governmental template? We should do what we've always done -- insist that immigrants become "Americans" in the full sense of the word, subject to American law and American values. There is no "sharia" in this country, and I predict there never will be.