American Muslims' middle class, mainstream suicide bombers

American Muslims are more prosperous than Western Europe's Muslims and less likely to support Islamic extremism than Muslims in most other nations, according to a landmark survey released yesterday. Most American Muslims are satisfied with their communities and believe they can get ahead if they're willing to work hard, according to the survey conducted by the Pew Research Center. ...

"We find the Muslim Americans we interviewed largely assimilated. They're happy with their lives," said Andrew Kohut, president of the nonprofit research center. "They're moderate on many of the issues that sharply divide Muslims and Westerners around the world."

-- New Jersey Star Ledger, May 23

The first nationwide survey of Muslim Americans revealed that more than a quarter of those younger than 30 say suicide bombings to defend Islam are justified, a fact that drowned out the poll's kinder, gentler findings suggesting that the community is mainstream and middle class.

"But the survey also found that only 40 percent of the overall American Muslim population would even admit that Arabs were behind 9/11. They're in denial, refusing to take moral responsibility, and the radicals will feed on this," Dr. Jasser said. ...

The survey, which estimates the U.S. Muslim population to be 2.3 million, emphasized the more positive findings, billing the group as "middle class and mostly mainstream," socially assimilated and happy.

-- Washington Times, May 23

Which paper do you read? Actually, if you follow both of these stories to the end, they contain pretty much the same information. It's the emphasis that is obviously different. The New Jersey paper is published in a state with a large Muslim population, so the story highlights how "moderate" they are, according to what they tell poll-takers. The Washington Times is a conservative paper.

And we are constantly told by the mainstream media that they are superior to the blogosphere because they are "professional" and can be trusted, while bloggers are just nutters with opinions.
Well, I'll tell you a little secret: the "professionals" of the mainstream media all have rings through their noses, and follow their employers' party line if they want to keep grazing in the fields instead of being given tickets to the meat-packing plant.

Another howler from the Washington Times piece:

"I'm not surprised that the press picked up on the bad news, because that's what sells. I'd like to see another ethnic group get asked the same question," said Laila Al-Qatami of the District-based American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.

Sure, Laila, whatever you say. No doubt a survey of American Jews, and people of African, Chinese, or Polish descent would show that 26 percent of them believe suicide bombing to defend their group is legitimate.

Once, within the lifetimes of many living Americans, revelations like those in the survey would have been enough to start an uproar and lead to a prohibition of further Muslim immigration. But that was another time, and another America, before self-preservation lost out to political correctness.