Muslim Countries Lead In "Unfavorable Attitudes" Towards Others
By Dr.Joseph Lerner, co-director IMRA 19 January 2006

DATA source: The Pew Global Attitudes Project Survey conducted May 2005,
release July 14, 2005.

The Muslim countries averaged 52.2% "Unfavorable Attitudes" towards
Christians, while the U.S. and
European countries averaged 32.6% "Unfavorable Attitudes" towards Muslims.
So, the Muslim countries
"Unfavorable Attitudes" towards Christians were 1.6 times as high as the
"Unfavorable Attitudes" of the U.S.
and European countries towards Muslims.

For Jews, the Muslim countries averaged "Unfavorable Attitudes" of 79.6%,
while the U.S. and European
countries averaged 12.2%. So, Muslim countries "Unfavorable Attitudes"
towards Jews averaged 6.35 times
as high as the U.S. and European countries. It should be noted that the
survey question referred
to Jews, not to Israels.

Western country responses for "Unfavorable Attitudes" towards Muslims were:
U.S. 22%; Britain 14%,
France 34%; Germany 47%, Netherlands 51%. It is striking that the U.S. and
Britain which are under the most
severe criticism because of Iraq, are on the low-end of "Unfavorable
Attitudes" towards Muslims.

Muslim country responses for "Unfavorable Attitudes" towards Christians
were: Turkey 63%;
Pakistan 58%; Jordan 41%; Morocco 61%; Indonesia 38%.

Muslim Country responses for "Unfavorable Attitudes" towards Jews were:
Turkey 60%;
Pakistan 74%; Jordan 100%; Morocco 88%; Indonesia 76%.

For individual Western country responses the "Unfavorable Attitudes" on
Jews
were: U.S. 7%; Britain 6%; France 16%; Gemany 21%; Netherlands 11%.

In the same survey, Europeans were questioned on foreign workers and
residents from the Middle
East, North Africa and Eastern European countries. For the Middle East and
North Africa,41.4% said
it was a "Bad Thing" and 40.8% said it was a "Bad Thing" for persons from
Eastern Eurpean countries.
The country breakdown was:

Foreign Workers and Residents a "Bad Thing"
F r o m
Middle East Eastern
North Africa Europe
30% 28% Britain
45 % 47 % France
57% 60 % Germany
26% 22% Spain
49% 47% Netherlands

Clearly, there is not a significant difference in attitude towards
foreigners from the Middle East and North Africa as compared
with those from Eastern Europe. So, there isn't "Islamophobia".