Another Vox article, written by Zack Beauchamp and also published yesterday, calls attention to a poll by the Public Religion Research Institute that asked respondents if they agreed with the statement “The values of Islam are at odds with American values and way of life.”
Vox’s headline announces the results for Republicans, 76% of whom agree. But the view is shared by a majority of all respondents (56%) and independents (57%) and a substantial minority of Democrats (43%). Blacks and Hispanics are evenly divided, and majorities of every Christian subpopulation, including black Protestants, agree.
Our own view of the question is complicated. Certainly Islam and the American way of life are compatible inasmuch as America is capable of welcoming Muslims who are not Islamic supremacists. On the other hand, it’s always struck us that categorical statements to the effect that Islam is “a religion of peace” are far more hortatory than empirical–which is to say that there is a gap between Islam as it actually exists and Islam as President Bush or President Obama would like it to be. How wide that gap is, and how dangerous, we do not know.
Thus Trump’s proposal for a pause in Muslim immigration “until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on” strikes this columnist as entirely reasonable. That’s not to say it’s necessarily a good idea. There are potential costs in American-Muslim relations both internationally and domestically, and humanitarian costs as well. There are practical questions about how it would be implemented. The religious-freedom argument, although legally empty, is not without moral force.
Instead of debating the proposal in a reasoned way, the political class–both parties–and many in the media are treating it as a thoughtcrime. Yet the PRRI poll suggests a large majority of Americans are thinking along similar lines.
As the effectiveness of “Shut up”, they argued is fading with every passing news cycle.
One more thing, the “civil” portion of shariah can certainly be addressed through legally binding mutually agreed to civil contracts.
I see that NME666 has arrived as predicted.
Hmm… what was it Harold Ickes once said about Huey Long?
Ah yes, that he suffered from “halitosis of the intellect”.
Don’t cry kt. Somehow you missed the context. The situation about which Kate alluded describes the attitude of a very powerful leadership that patronizes in a fashion that suggests an entire population need not worry their pretty little heads, because none of them are capable of comprehending such wisdom, and the debate is “already settled.”
Your situation by contrast, involves the prattling of a single annoying know-nothing who seems to think the answer to everything resides in some counterintuitive inverse reality.
“Your situation by contrast, involves the prattling of a single annoying know-nothing who seems to think the answer to everything resides in some counterintuitive inverse reality.”
Oh no. No amount of dissembling on your part can hide the reality that kt’s comment was spot on.
Why yes kt, it is all about you.
In your little empty troll fantasy that is.
if the topic is Islam values being at odds with western culture, in the eyes of those polled.
Then shut up kt is appropriate, especially when your comment is nothing but;’Squirrel”.
Laws only work if they are enforced. Whoever has the most force imposes the laws they want. So the question to be settled is in two parts: who believes in their laws enough to fight for them and do they have enough force.
CO, yes it was George Carlin.