Negative Perception of Islam Increasing

The Washington Post reports that Americans have a more negative view of Islam now than immediately after the 9/11 attacks:

As the war in Iraq grinds into its fourth year, a growing proportion of Americans are expressing unfavorable views of Islam, and a majority now say that Muslims are disproportionately prone to violence, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

The poll found that nearly half of Americans -- 46 percent -- have a negative view of Islam, seven percentage points higher than in the tense months after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, when Muslims were often targeted for violence.

It is an unfortunate fact that there is a radically violent minority of Muslims. It is also an unfortunate fact that we made the mistake of plopping ourselves down in the midst of a huge predominantly Muslim country with a history of tension among Muslim factions, and with not a clue about how to proceed. And now, unsurprisingly, we are dealing on a daily basis with that radical Muslim minority. They make our news day after day. And unfortunately, it shapes our perception of the all Muslims. I think religious and political leaders in our country have a responsibility to speak out against bigotry and stereotyping, but I don't have much hope that perceptions will change until we get ourselves out of Iraq - and then get ourselves off our Middle East oil fix.