Gumbo of the Mind

I like gumbo, really I do, especially Emeril Lagasse's recipe which I have cooked up dozens of times. It's mmm mmm good. Gumbo involves throwing a lot of differnt things in a pot and applying heat. This is a great way to make food, it is a terrible way bring enlightenment to consumers of news.

This article: Negative Perception Of Islam Increasing is intellectual gumbo, and it doesn't have any of the charm of the other kind. [Cascading hat tips to Charles at Little Green Footballs and his referrer.] In fact it is as bland as store-brand mac and cheese.

Seriously, given what's been in the news for the last 4 years, who expected that the American people's impression of islam was going to become more positive? Should we expect it to inspire respect that islam's adherents commit barbaric acts around the world on a daily basis? The hate-America crowd has proffered the thesis that if Americans understood islam they would be more accepting of it. I have found the opposite to be true, except among leftists and muslims.

Polling data is so easily manipulated that this number is effectively arbitrary, and by throwing "all" Americans [well... the pollsters proprietary sample] in to the pot you get a sort of bland mix whose movements are difficult to interpret.

Here are some polls I suggest be taken and which I argue would give a more revealing portrait:

• Poll Sikhs in America and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Poll Hindus in America and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Poll Thai and Indian Buddhists in America and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Poll Zoroastrians in America and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Poll Pakistani Christians in America and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Poll Assyrian, Maronite and Coptic Christians in America and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Poll Armenian Christians in America and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Poll Nigerian and Sudanese Christians in America and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Poll first-generation Serb and Croat Christians in America and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Poll first-generation Greek Orthodox Christians in America and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Poll American Jews with immediate family members living in Isreal and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Since the US Department of State has recently condemned deeds "offensive to the beliefs of Muslims", poll female employees of the US Department of State and report the percentage who have started wearing burkas to work in order to avoid offending muslims.

For info on world opinion I would also:

• Poll Christians on Mindanao and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Poll London tube riders and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Poll Madrid commuter-train riders and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Poll non-muslim Australian beachgoers and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Poll Balinese night-club employees [well ok, ex-employees] and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Poll Timorese Christians and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Poll Dutch MP's and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Poll French auto-insurance claims adjusters and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".


• Poll Danish cartoonists and report what percentage agree that islam is a "religion of peace".

When I see some of these reported I might start believing that the news-show-business is interested in understanding the issue.