Have you noticed that most of the Tea Party and their anti-human-being ideologies aren't being gobbled up by the American people? With all the fearmongering of Muslims going around from members of Congress like Rep. Peter King, and their nativist counterparts like those taking part in the Ground Zero protests, one would figure that Americans would be terrified if they lived in an area that housed a Mosque, right?
Well ....
CNN Poll: Most Americans 'okay' with a mosque in their community
Would you be "okay" with a mosque in your community? According to a new national poll, most Americans say yes. The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Thursday found 69 percent of Americans would be "okay" with a mosque in their area while 28 percent would not.
But there are big differences depending on where you live. Half of rural Southerners say they disapprove of a mosque in their neighborhood, while 42 percent say they would be "okay" with it. That rises to roughly three-quarters among those who live in cities and suburbs.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, anti-mosque activity across the country, ranging from vandalism to lawsuits, has occurred in 21 states over the past five years.
Positive views of Muslim Americans are on the rise since 2002, according to the new poll, which found 46 percent of all Americans have a favorable view of American Muslims today, and 26 percent say they have an unfavorable view.
"Overall, positive views of American Muslims have risen since 2002, when memories of 9/11 were still fresh in most Americans' minds," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "In 2002, as the first anniversary of the 9/11 attacks approached, only 39 percent of all Americans said they had a favorable view of Muslims."
Americans in the South and rural communities are far less likely to have a favorable view of American Muslims, just 32 percent. While 31 percent of rural Southerners say they have an unfavorable opinion of American Muslims, 37 percent say they don't know enough to have an opinion.
We know that the South would be more resentful of Muslims, and that was verified in this poll, but overall this is great news because it proves that maybe, just maybe Americans are getting tired of the constant extremist screaming from the Right. Poll numbers for many of the new right-wing governors who were elected because of GOP fearmongering tactics -- guys like Scott Walker and John Kasich -- are in the gutter. Maine's Republican Gov. Paul LePage will be added to that list very shortly.
