Muslim Americans Happier and more Optimistic About Future in America
Muslim Americans and atheists are the more optimistic about their future than Protestants, according to a new Gallup poll.
The Abu Dhabi Gallup Center, based in United Arab Emirates, released a new Gallup study Tuesday that assessed Muslim American opinions on several hot button topics and compared them to the opinions of Protestants, Catholics, the Jewish and Mormons
On a scale of 1 to 10, Muslim Americans rate their future at 8. 4 while atheists and agnostics scored their future at 7.9. Protestants were the least optimistic religious group with a 7.4 rating of their future.
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Jewish Americans were the second most optimistic religious group with 8.0. Mormons rated their future at 7.8 followed by Catholics at 7.7.
Americans overall rate their future at 7.
Study results suggest that Muslim Americans are “thriving” in the United States, are experiencing economic growth and are generally happier now than they have been in previous years.
“They have generally optimistic and positive views about government, its agencies and the future of America, but they report a significant level of prejudice and discrimination,” said Abu Dhabi Gallup Center analyst Amhed Younis.
High levels of national allegiance have been noted, with the poll finding that 69 percent of Muslim American identify favorably with the United States; 65 percent of identified favorable with being Muslim.
An estimated 93 percent of Muslim Americans say they believe other Muslim Americans are loyal to the country. Ninety-two percent said they do not agree with the actions of terrorist group al Qaeda.
About 35 percent of Catholics and 37 percent of Protestants say they didn't believe Muslim Americans are loyal to the United States.
Reportedly subject to increased level of discrimination since the 9/11 attacks, Muslim Americans did not have much confidence in the FBI, with only 60 percent expressing confidence, compared to 75 percent in the other faiths polled.
Sixty-three percent of Muslim Americans said they felt comfortable and respected to practice their religion in public, compared to 81 Protestants and 83 percent of Catholics.
The study also found that Muslims are the most racially diverse religious group in the nation, consisting not only of people of Middle Eastern decent, but also of black/African, Asian and Caucasian decent.
The Gallup study interviewed 3,883 self-identified Muslim American adults from January 2008 to April 9, 2011. The confidence level in the data is 95 percent.
