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| Europe |
| German Mistrust of Muslims and Islam Grows |
| 2006-05-20 |
| Experts fear new conflicts after a study published this week showed most Germans doubt the Western and Islamic worlds can peacefully coexist. Mistrust of the 3 million Muslims living in Germany appears to be growing. In spite of official attempts to promote dialog among religions, distrust of Islam continues to grow, with 60 percent of Germans expecting tension between traditional German society and immigrants from Muslim countries, according to an Allensbach study commissioned by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper. "Germans are increasingly of the opinion that a lasting, peaceful coexistence with the Islamic world will not be possible," the researchers said in the survey, released Wednesday. Some 56 percent of Germans said they believed a "clash of cultures" already exists, partly a result of recent incidents that received a large amount of media attention, according to the survey's authors Elisabeth Noelle and Thomas Petersen. Germans less willing to show tolerance to Muslims The case of a Berlin "honor killing," a quarrel over two Bonn students who wore burkas to school and discussions concerning increasing schoolyard violence among immigrant children have all made headlines in the German press recently. "In view of the diffuse feeling of being under threat, and the suspected intolerance of Islam, the readiness of Germans to show tolerance to the Muslim faith is sinking," Noelle and Petersen wrote. Germans' esteem for Islam has been falling since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, with 83 percent of the 1,076 Germans questioned in the survey agreeing with the statement that Islam is driven by fanaticism. That amount was 10 percent higher than two years ago. A majority, 71 percent, said they believed Islam to be "intolerant," up from 66 percent. When asked what they associate with the word "Islam," 91 percent of respondents connected the religion to the discrimination of women, and 61 percent called Islam "undemocratic." Eight percent of Germans associated "peacefulness" with Islam. Willing to limit freedom of religion About 40 percent of Germans queried were willing to limit the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of religion if constricting the practice of the Muslim religion would lead to fewer violent Muslims choosing to live in Germany. Over half of those who took part, 56 percent, agreed with the statement, "If some Muslim countries forbid building churches, then it should be forbidden to build mosques here." There was one result amid the responses that improved the mood of those working on intercultural dialog: two-thirds of Germans said they believed Islam does not pose a threat, but that radical, politically motivated individuals are behind extremist acts. The survey's authors wrote that "there is a pattern of polarization" widening the gap between Germans' feelings of their own situation and "the others," which could be the "beginning of a spiral of conflict." "Since the end of the World War II, the German population has had a particular aversion to conflict," Noelle and Petersen wrote. "But in regards to Islam, the fronts are obviously getting harder." |
| Posted by:john |
| #6 They will begin to grasp it when they are invited to the weinie roast and discover they are the dogs. |
| Posted by: SOP35/Rat 2006-05-20 23:39 |
| #5 well said, Frank. There is a limit to allowing bad behavior in polite society. Unfortunately, those recently unfrozen from the 7th century haven't grasped that concept yet. |
| Posted by: 2b 2006-05-20 15:59 |
| #4 Germans have a track record of how they treat a population they don't like. Muslims oughtta rethink their arrogant aggressiveness, they may just get what they ask for |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-05-20 15:48 |
| #3 February 15, 1945: In related news, Germans acknowledged that RAF Bomber Command's Lancasters inflicted great damage on Dresden last night. Fastforward to 2006: What is this, Germans realizing that having Wahhabis around might not be the wisest of social policies? |
| Posted by: Lancasters Over Dresden 2006-05-20 15:44 |
| #2 Many Germans has friendly relations with Arabs from what I know, now I see things are different. |
| Posted by: Omoluck Sleremble4193 2006-05-20 14:22 |
| #1 In related news, Floridians mistrust of alligators grows. |
| Posted by: DMFD 2006-05-20 13:20 |