Poll on young Muslims in U.S. elicits concerns

'All things Muslim are treated suspect'
“The youth by and large also have felt the effects of 9/11 more so than any other segment of the population,” Jamal said. “This youth has grown up where all things Muslims are treated suspect, that Muslims are the enemy within. They’ve experienced it at public schools, campuses, places of employment. Maybe they’re trying to broadcast to a mainstream audience that we’re proud to be Muslims.”

The suicide bomber finding, he said, should not be viewed as an endorsement of attacks on the United States, but in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where the tactic is common.

Eboo Patel, the 31-year-old founder and executive director of Chicago-based Interfaith Youth Core, which promotes pluralism by teaming people of different faiths on service projects, sees building trust as a major issue for young Muslims.

“We don’t need more FBI agents poking around in the youth sections of mosques,” he said.

“Do we need to spend a whole lot more time involving young Muslims in positive ways to build a better world? Absolutely yes, a hundred times over.”

Those who take a darker view of Islam, seized on the Pew findings as evidence of a legitimate threat, pointing out that it takes only a few disgruntled souls to exact horrific damage.

“That it’s younger people indicates there has been a tremendous tendency toward a recovery of more radical aspects of the faith,” said Robert Spencer, director of Jihad Watch, a project of the David Horowitz Freedom Center. “In the past, immigrants were encouraged and inclined to assimilate.”

A trait of Americans as a whole?
Others point out that Americans as a whole, not just Muslims, have shown a willingness to sacrifice civilians’ lives under certain circumstances.

A December 2006 survey by the University of Maryland’s Program on International Attitudes found 24 percent of Americans believe “bombings and other attacks intentionally aimed at civilians” are often or sometimes justified. The poll found no significant variance based on age.

Asma Gull Hasan looks at the Pew findings and sees the impact of experiences shared by young Americans across the spectrum, including exposure to violence through entertainment.

The 32-year-old Muslim author and speaker from Denver said young, immigrant Muslims feel more alienated and exposed to prejudice than their parents are. Because most U.S. Muslims are raised conservatively — and won’t consider rebelling through sex or drugs — many experiment with their faith, she said.

“To express my teen and 20s desire to be different, to rebel, I explored my religion,” Hasan said. “Christian children ride motorcycles. A percentage of Muslim youth say suicide bombings are justified. Chalk it up to youthful rebellion and telephone survey bravado.”

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