Islam and the West: Annual Report on the State of Dialogue

many things that <strong>the</strong>y admire about <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>, why is <strong>the</strong>re
such a disjuncture between <strong>the</strong> Muslim world’s beliefs
about <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>ern world <strong>and</strong> perceptions in <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>? Many
<strong>West</strong>erners may misinterpret anger at America with disrespect
for <strong>West</strong>ern culture. Roughly 8 in 10 Americans say <strong>the</strong>y
believe that those living in Muslim countries have
unfavourable opinions of <strong>the</strong> United States, <strong>and</strong> about <strong>the</strong>
same number believe <strong>the</strong> Muslim world does not respect
<strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>ern world 5 .
In reality, while many Muslims indeed hold unfavourable
views of <strong>the</strong> United States, <strong>the</strong>se are driven by resentment
at its perceived policies ra<strong>the</strong>r than rejection of its values
<strong>and</strong> principles 6 .
Ano<strong>the</strong>r possibility is that North Americans <strong>and</strong> Europeans
believe Muslims lack respect for <strong>West</strong>ern values, such as free
speech, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>refore do not respect <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>ern world. For
example, nearly half of Danes consider <strong>Islam</strong> as incompatible
with democracy 7 Ironically, while many Muslims perceived
<strong>the</strong> printing <strong>and</strong> reprinting of <strong>the</strong> Danish cartoons as an act
of disrespect to what <strong>Islam</strong> holds dear, <strong>the</strong>ir reaction was
perceived by some citizens of <strong>West</strong>ern countries as an act
of degradation to what <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> holds dear.
A full year after <strong>the</strong> controversy erupted in September 2005,
little over half believed <strong>the</strong> Danish newspaper Jyll<strong>and</strong>s-Posten
was right to print <strong>the</strong> controversial cartoon of <strong>the</strong> Prophet
Muhammad with a bomb in his turban as a demonstration
of free speech 8 .WhilemostAmericans(61%)said<strong>the</strong>y
believe <strong>the</strong> European newspapers that printed <strong>the</strong> cartoons
behaved irresponsibly, <strong>the</strong> same percentage also said that
<strong>the</strong> controversy was due more to Muslim intolerance to o<strong>the</strong>r
points of view than it was to <strong>West</strong>ern nations’ disrespect
for <strong>Islam</strong> 9 .
This case of free speech raises an important distinction
between general attitudes toward “values” <strong>and</strong> specific
incidents where values seem to clash. For example, <strong>the</strong>
vast majority of Muslims value free speech in principle. At
<strong>the</strong> same time, 94% of Egyptians <strong>and</strong> 92% of Iranians say
Figure A.1
<strong>the</strong>y would guarantee <strong>the</strong> right of free speech if <strong>the</strong>y were
asked to draft a constitution for a new country 10 .Many
also mention it as among <strong>the</strong> most admirable qualities of
<strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>.
However, while supporting <strong>the</strong> right of free speech in
principle, this particular act of speech was deemed by many
Muslims as unacceptable. For example, 75% of Muslims in
London said that newspapers printing <strong>the</strong> Prophet cartoon
should not be allowed under protection of free speech,
<strong>and</strong> similar percentages said <strong>the</strong> same about racial slurs,
child pornography <strong>and</strong> jokes about <strong>the</strong> Holocaust. Some
o<strong>the</strong>r Europeans agree. While 59% of <strong>the</strong> German public
said printing <strong>the</strong> Prophet cartoon should be allowed under
5 Frank Newport, Complex but Hopeful Pattern of American Attitudes toward Muslims, 23 March 2006.
6 Dalia Mogahed, Muslims <strong>and</strong> Americans: The Way Forward, Gallup World Poll Special <strong>Report</strong>.
7 AFP, 4 September 2006
8 Associated Press, 30 September 2006.
9 David Moore, Gallup Poll: Public Critical of European Newspapers Showing Mohammed Cartoon But says controversy reflects Muslims' intolerance, 14 February 2006.
10 Dalia Mogahed, <strong>Islam</strong> <strong>and</strong> Democracy, Gallup World Poll Special <strong>Report</strong>
Palestine
Egypt
Turkey
S. Arabia
Denmark
Iran
Sweden
USA
Canada
Brazil
Russia
Israel
Bangladesh
Ne<strong>the</strong>rl<strong>and</strong>s
Malaysia
Belgium
Indonesia
Spain
Pakistan
Italy
Singapore
Do you believe <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>ern World
respects <strong>the</strong> Muslim World?
No Yes
0% 50% 100%
<strong>Islam</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>: <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> on <strong>the</strong> State of Dialogue Annex 1: Public Opinion on <strong>the</strong> State of Muslim-<strong>West</strong> Dialogue
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