Poll: American Muslims hopeful about life in the U.S.

(RNS) Ten years after the 9/11 attacks, an extensive new survey of
Muslims finds them as optimistic as other Americans, even as large
minorities of Christian Americans question Muslims' loyalty to the
United States.

The survey, released Tuesday (Aug. 2) by the Gallup organization's
center in the Middle East, presented a community less than fully assured
of its place in the United States, but generally confident in President
Obama and the American economy.

American Muslims' perceptions of their own well-being increased more
in the past three years than those of any other religious group,
according to the report, which also surveyed Protestants, Catholics,
Jews, Mormons, atheists and agnostics. Muslims' expectations for their
own happiness in five years similarly topped all other faiths'.

Mohamed Younis, of the Abu Dhabi Gallup Center, which is affiliated
with the United Arab Emirates' constitutional monarchy, said the report
showed optimistic American Muslims share certain traits.

"Muslims who tend to be thriving seem to be more fully engaged in
their religious life, but also strongly identify with the United States
as a place to live," Younis said. "They show a picture of someone with
less cognitive dissonance about being 100 percent Muslim and about being
100 percent American."

The optimism of American Muslims is particularly noteworthy, said
the report's authors, considering that much press about them focuses on
terrorism and controversy, including the proposed mosque near Ground
Zero in New York and congressional hearings on the "radicalization" of
their faith community.

Though majorities across all groups surveyed said that Muslims are
loyal to their country, large minorities of many religious groups
doubted it. Ninety-three percent of Muslims believe Muslims are loyal to
their country, compared to 56 percent of Protestants, 56 percent of
Mormons, 59 percent of Catholics and 80 percent of Jews.

In other instances Jewish Americans showed a trust of Muslims less
apparent among other groups, and held opinions that most closely
correlated with Muslims,' a phenomenon the report's authors called "The
Children of Abraham." They invited Rabbi David Saperstein, of the
Religious Action Center of Reformed Judaism, to the survey's rollout to
help explain the affinity of views.

"Jews view themselves as the quintessential victims of religious
persecution in the history of the world over the last 3,000 years and
therefore often identify with those who are subject to persecution and
discrimination," Saperstein said.

More Jews (66 percent) than Muslims (60 percent) said that Muslims
are discriminated against in the United States, according to the report.

Among other findings of the report, a compilation of Gallup surveys
of Americans' life satisfaction and polls of Muslim Americans in
particular:

-- On average, Muslims rate their expected life satisfaction in five
years at 8.4 on a 10-point scale -- higher than any other religious
group.

-- A small fraction of Muslims believe there is a national Muslim
organization that represents them, with about 12 percent naming the
Council on American-Islamic Relations, which was named more frequently
than any other group.

-- Sixty-nine percent of Muslims said they "extremely strongly" or
"very strongly" identify with the U.S., as compared to 91 percent of
Protestants, 81 percent of Catholics and 86 percent of Jews.

-- Eight of 10 Muslims expressed support for President Obama, more
than any other religious group. More than any other group surveyed, they
are confident that economic conditions are improving.

-- Muslims (57 percent) are more confident in the honesty of
American elections than Protestants (44 percent), Catholics (46 percent)
or any other religious group.

-- Muslim Americans (70 percent) have less confidence in the
military than Protestants (95 percent), Catholics (94 percent) or any
other religious group.

-- Muslims Americans (83 percent) are more likely to see the Iraq
war as a mistake than Jews (74 percent), Protestants (45 percent) or any
other religious group.

-- Muslim Americans (65 percent) are less likely to be registered to
vote than Protestants (91 percent), Jews (91 percent) or any other
religious group, a statistic the survey's authors say correlates with
the relative youth of the Muslim-American community.

The report was hailed by Muslim leaders and the White House as a
tool for those who want to dispel myths about Muslim Americans and plot
a course for their increased participation in American political life.

"It confirms for us that as we reach out to Muslims, the community
will reach back," said D. Paul Montiero, associate director of the White
House Office of Public Engagement, and part of a panel invited to
comment on the report at its Washington unveiling.

Imam Mohamed Magid, president of the Islamic Society of North
America, said the survey shows how far Muslims have to go to until they
are fully accepted members of society, and that 9/11 was a setback for
those who follow Islam in America.

"But the process has started," he said. "And I think it will bear
fruit."