A Pew Research survey of American Muslims say 8% say suicide bombings against civilian targets are justified sometimes justified to defend Islam. 9% refused to answer the question, and another 5% said they are “rarely justified.” Only 78% said suicide bombings were “never justified” but that means 13% of American Muslims think suicide bombings are justified at least under some circumstances and 9% refused to answer meaning 22% of American Muslims believe that suicide bombings can be justified.
Pew neglected to ask the percentage who approve of suicide bombings against military targets. 41% of the over 30 crowd think of themselves as Muslim first, 30% as American first.
Interestingly 15% of American Muslims under 30 believe that suicide bombings are often or sometimes justified in the defense of Islam. 5% refused to answer the question. 60% think of themselves as Muslim first, 25% as American first.
24% say that it is unacceptable for a Muslim to marry a non-Muslim. 26% say that Muslims “coming to the U.S. today should mostly try to remain distinct from the larger American society.”
“All safe deposit boxes in banks or financial institutions have been sealed… and may only be opened in the presence of an agent of the I.R.S.”
– Attributed to President F.D. Roosevelt, 1933 after making it illegal to own gold [There is dispute about this quotation, but the result was the same.]
The phrase “Race to the Bottom” is a semantic slight of hand used to attempt to color your opinion prior to even looking at the situation over which the phrase is used. The phrase “Race to the bottom” was coined by US Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis in the 1933 case, Ligget Co. v. Lee (288 U.S. 517, 558-559). Brandeis didn’t fail to see that competition helps to increase liberty, Brandeis merely believed that this was a bad thing. Coining a phrase like “race to the bottom” is a wonderful technique if you wish to stifle dissent and put other views immediately on the defensive.
Sunday, June 26, 2005 Five Disgraceful ‘Justices’ on the US Supreme Court in Kelo vs New London (125 S. Ct. 2655 (2005)) With the Supreme Court eviscerating the freedoms protected in the Constitution this week with its abandonment of the Founders’ intent in writing the Commerce Clause and Fifth Amendment, every protection becomes that much more important. Continue reading Five Disgraceful Supreme Court Justices on Kelo→
Tuesday, March 08, 2005 Social Security & Withholding
It isn’t just the under-30s who are fed up with social security. Many of those of us under 40 feel the same way. Right now, I would be happy to just write-off all my previous social security “contributions” (wait, “contributions” are supposed to be voluntary, aren’t they?) Continue reading Social Security & Withholding, a Generational Transfer Scheme→