Misleading People With Poll Statistics

Apparently there is a poll of American Muslims creating quite a stir in the U.S. today. Muslims were asked whether attacks on civilians could ever be justified. Although 78% said it could never be justified, 8% of Muslims in America felt that attacks intentionally aimed at civilians could sometimes be justified, while another 5% said that they could rarely be justified (and 9% didn't know or refused to answer).

This of course is causing a huge brouhaha on the cable news shows about the "fifth column", and the "breeding ground" for terrorists among American Muslims.

Now, at this point in time, before getting all hysterical, wouldn't it make sense to find out what the general American population feels about attacks intentionally aimed at civilians?

Glad you asked. (pdf)

Hat tip Glenn Greenwald.

Granted, the fact that only 40% of Muslims (pdf) in America believe that Arabs carried out the attacks of 9/11 is hardly encouraging, and definitely shows a vastly different mindset than the average American... but fair is fair: When it comes to attacking civilians, the American population in general is at least just as bloodthirsty as the Muslim minority within it.

Oh... and the statistic that 47% of American Muslims think of themselves as "Muslim First, American Second" that also has everybody up in arms? How does that compare to the percentage of Americans who think of themselves as "Christian First, American Second"? 42%. In comparison, 47% for a population that is 65% foreign born, and on the whole, much more devout than the American population in general, that's not worth getting worked up over either.