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Morocco World News
Casablanca, August 31, 2012
As the republican nominee Mitt Romney accepted the Republican presidential nomination, the republican rhetoric and approach to the economic depression, security issues and immigration are once again in the limelight. With a typical Republican agenda, Romney presents himself as the best alternative to incumbent president Obama.
Besides their divergence on state intervention in economy, Democrats and Republicans usually battle for a different set of priorities. Republicans often adopt a staunch attitude towards immigration.
Though they recognize the contribution of immigrants to the US welfare, Republicans often make the correlation between borders’ security and the safety of citizens. Thus, they tend to push for strict regulations on immigration.
Republicans presidential candidates often make the pledge to toughen the immigration system by focusing primarily on needed skills in determining eligibility for immigration. But behind the political rhetoric lies an antagonism to uncontrolled immigration and to immigrants.
The post 9/11 US has admittedly become less tolerant to Arabs and Muslims. Media and Right wing politicians have aggregated so much effort to vilify Muslims that it has become an intricate task to debunk those faulty stereotypes.
The survey conducted by the Arab American Institute reveals shocking findings about the attitude of Americans and especially those affiliated to the Republican Party towards Arabs and Muslims.
The study reveals that Arabs, Muslims, Arab Americans, and Muslim Americans have the highest unfavorable ratings among 13 religious groups ranging from Presbyterian to the Sikh community.
The Muslims in particular received 57 unfavorable ratings from the Republicans, whereas the
Democrats gave them only 29 negative ratings.
More negative rating towards Arabs and Muslims was given by Americans above 65 years.
The disparity in the esteem granted to Muslims and Arabs shows also a generational divide.
Indeed, younger Americans (18-25) rate Arabs and Muslims up to 17 higher than the older generation. They also rate Arab Americans and American Muslims higher.
As far as race in concerned, white Caucasians expressed a negative attitude towards Arabs with 42 of unfavorable rating for Arabs and 44 unfavorable ratings for Muslims.
It is noteworthy that Arab American and Muslim American usually receive less negative Ratings that the aforementioned categories.
On the other hand, 41% of Republicans believe that Arab Americans may not be trusted with decision making positions since they are more likely to be influenced by their ethnicity, whereas only 25% of Democrats acknowledge the interference of ethnicity in decision- making for Arab Americans.
When asked about their personal acquaintance with Arabs, 43 of the Americans interviewed do not have any personal contact with Arabs. Likewise, 46 of those who had negative attitudes towards Muslims admitted that they do not have any personal acquaintance with Muslims.
The study at hand discloses an antagonistic attitude towards Arabs and Muslims and less adverse disposition vis-à-vis Arab Americans and Muslim Americans.
The widespread Islamophobia engendered by the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the wars waged in Muslim lands have inflamed xenophobic feelings towards the Arab and the Muslim Community in the US.
The recent accusation leveled against Huma Abedan, a long time aide to Hillary Clinton by the Republican Michele Bachman for being connected to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and all those skeptics who still believe that Barack Obama is a Muslim and more astonishingly those who think that being Muslim is wrong, are tangible evidences of the unease facing Muslims and Arabs living in the United States.
With this unjustified attitude towards Muslims and Arabs, the prospects for tolerance and World peaces become dire. Sounding a more offensive tone, Mitt Romney had promised in his speeches to force a regime change in Iran and Syria and to launch covert operation to kill Iranian nuclear scientists.
This uncompromising attitude towards Arabs and Muslims undermines all efforts for rapprochement and reconciliation. If the Republicans find their way to the white house, world peace will undoubtedly suffer a new setback with unpredictable outcomes.
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