August 31, 2010 - 9/11 Family Concerns Outweigh Muslim Right To Mosque, New York State Voters Tell Quinnipiac University Poll; 71 Percent Say Cuomo Should Probe Mosque Finances Word format The controversy surrounding a proposed mosque near Ground Zero leaves New York State voters with conflicting opinions about religious freedom and the sensitivities of the families of 9/11 victims, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. By a 54 - 40 percent majority, voters agree "that because of American freedom of religion, Muslims have the right to build the mosque near Ground Zero," the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. Another 7 percent are undecided. But these same voters agree 53 - 39 percent, with 8 percent undecided, "that because of the sensitivities of 9/11 relatives, Muslims should not be allowed to build the mosque near Ground Zero." And by a 71 - 21 percent majority, voters agree "that because of the opposition of Ground Zero relatives, the Muslim group should voluntarily build the mosque somewhere else." By a 45 - 31 percent margin, New York State voters say they have a "generally favorable" opinion of Islam, with 24 percent undecided. "The heated, sometimes angry, debate over the proposal to build a mosque two blocks from Ground Zero has New York State voters twisted in knots, with some of them taking contradictory positions depending on how the question is asked," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "A majority agrees that American freedom of religion gives Muslims the right to build the mosque near the site of the terrorist attack. Republicans disagree 54 - 39 percent. "Because of the sensitivities of relatives of the terrorist victims, an almost identical majority, including many of the same voters, believes Muslims should not be allowed to open the mosque." "Overwhelmingly, across all party and regional lines, New Yorkers say the sponsors ought to voluntarily move the proposed mosque to another location," Carroll added. New York City voters say 63 - 28 percent that mosque proponents should voluntarily choose another site, compared to 76 - 17 percent among upstate voters and the same 76 - 17 percent among suburban voters. Mainstream Islam is a peaceful religion, rather than one which encourages violence against non-Muslims, New York State voters say 54 - 24 percent, with 21 percent undecided. New York City voters say 62 - 21 percent that Islam is peaceful, compared to 49 - 28 percent among upstate voters and 51 - 25 percent among suburban voters. New York State voters say 71 - 22 percent that Attorney General Andrew Cuomo should investigate the financing of the mosque. Even Democrats say 65 - 25 percent that Cuomo should look into the mosque's financing. "Most voters believe that Islam is a peaceful religion. New York City voters in general have more positive views about Islam," Carroll said. President Obama's Approval President Barack Obama gets a 51 - 41 percent job approval rating from New York State voters, down from 53 - 41 percent and his lowest score ever in New York. Independent voters disapprove by a narrow 49 - 44 percent, joining Republicans who disapprove 80 - 13 percent. Democrats approve 82 - 11 percent. "It's not a good time for President Barack Obama. Even in true-blue New York, his job approval is hovering at the half-way mark," Carroll said. From August 23 - 29, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,497 New York State registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio and nationwide as a public service and for research. For more data or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter. 19. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 51% 13% 82% 44% 50% 53% Disapprove 41 80 11 49 44 40 DK/NA 7 7 7 6 7 8 UpStat NYC Suburbs Approve 46% 66% 36% Disapprove 47 27 54 DK/NA 6 7 10 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President? APPROVE...... High Low Aug 31 Jul 29 Jun 22 Apr 13 Feb 3 Feb 19 Aug 31 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2009 2010 Approve 51 53 55 62 57 72 51 Disapprove 41 41 39 33 38 17 41 DK/NA 7 6 6 5 5 10 7 28. Would you say you have a generally favorable or unfavorable opinion of Islam, the Muslim religion? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 45% 32% 51% 51% 47% 44% Unfavorable 31 48 24 28 33 29 DK/NA 24 20 25 21 20 28 UpStat NYC Suburbs Favorable 40% 55% 37% Unfavorable 33 26 33 DK/NA 26 19 29 29. Every religion has mainstream beliefs, and also fringe elements or extremists. Thinking of mainstream Islam, do you think mainstream Islam encourages violence against non-Muslims, or is it a peaceful religion? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Encourages violence 24% 35% 16% 28% 27% 22% Peaceful religion 54 41 63 55 56 53 DK/NA 21 23 21 17 17 25 UpStat NYC Suburbs Encourages violence 28% 21% 25% Peaceful religion 49 62 51 DK/NA 24 17 24 30. Some people say that because of American freedom of religion, Muslims have the right to build the mosque near Ground Zero. Do you agree or disagree? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Agree 54% 39% 58% 61% 61% 48% Disagree 40 54 35 34 34 45 DK/NA 7 7 7 5 6 8 UpStat NYC Suburbs Agree 55% 55% 48% Disagree 37 39 44 DK/NA 8 5 7 31. Some people say that because of the sensitivities of 9-11 relatives, Muslims should not be allowed to build the mosque near Ground Zero. Do you agree or disagree? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Agree 53% 72% 43% 52% 50% 56% Disagree 39 22 49 41 45 34 DK/NA 8 6 8 7 6 10 UpStat NYC Suburbs Agree 53% 49% 58% Disagree 38 46 30 DK/NA 8 5 12 32. Some people say that because of the opposition of Ground Zero relatives, the Muslim group should voluntarily build the mosque somewhere else. Do you agree or disagree? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Agree 71% 85% 61% 73% 69% 72% Disagree 21 8 30 22 24 19 DK/NA 8 7 9 5 7 9 UpStat NYC Suburbs Agree 76% 63% 76% Disagree 17 28 17 DK/NA 7 9 7 33. Do you think Attorney General Andrew Cuomo should or should not investigate the financing of the mosque? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 71% 82% 65% 71% 70% 71% No 22 12 25 22 25 19 DK/NA 8 6 10 6 5 10 UpStat NYC Suburbs Yes 67% 69% 79% No 23 24 16 DK/NA 10 7 4
