This past Tuesday, I received an AFA ActionAlert email from the American Family Association (AFA). For those who are unfamiliar with this organization, suffice it to say they are usually on the far right of almost every issue. The purpose of their ActionAlert was to inform me of a poll being conducted on their website concerning Islam and America.
I think it would behoove Kossacks to take a look at this "poll" for themselves (available at the top of their website). While I am not an member of the Islamic faith, I am becoming a little concerned about the alarmist rhetoric being broadcast from supposed "values" organizations.
For those unfamiliar with the AFA, the description on their website probably will suffice:
AFA is for people who are tired of cursing the darkness and who are ready to light a bonfire. We are a non-profit (501(c)(3)) organization founded in 1977 by Don Wildmon. The American Family Association represents and stands for traditional family values, focusing primarily on the influence of television and other media – including pornography – on our society.
Exactly how this relates to Islam, I haven’t quite figured out yet. I wound up on their email list some time ago when responding to some questionnaire concerning some social issue (I think). I haven’t removed myself from their email list as it often provides me with an interesting insight into the mindset of the religious fundamentalist right. Their ActionAlert emails have asked me to boycott Ford Motor Company (and other companies’) products because of their support of the homosexual lifestyle, informed me of the numerous instances of family-hating programs on TV, and provided me with front-line reports from the yearly War on Christmas.
As of late, the most pressing problem facing America (at least according to the AFA) seems to be Islam. Dr. Wildmon and his colleagues have dedicated several editions of their AFA Report and Today’s Issues broadcasts on the rising danger on Islam. Not Islamic terrorism, but the practice of Islam here in the good ol’ Christian US of A. From the ActionAlert email:
Would you take a moment and take our poll on Islam and America? We would like to know American’s opinion on this matter.
The "poll" consisted of the following questions, each of which could only be answered with a Yes or No:
Do you consider Islam to be a peaceful religion?
Do you consider Islam to be a tolerant religion?
Would America be a better country if it were a Muslim country?
Should America place equal emphasis on the Koran and the Bible?
Would it be good for America to have more Muslims in elected offices?
Would you vote for a Muslim for president?
As a general rule, are women treated better in America than in a Muslim country?
Is America too dependent on Muslim countries for oil?
Do Muslim countries do more than America to help the poor?
Why did the AFA feel the need to conduct this "poll"?
Randy Sharp, director of special projects for AFA, explains the reason for conducting the survey. "Islam is a growing religion in America, [and] it is concerning for a great many people," says Sharp. "And this gives everyone an opportunity to share their opinion and let us know how they feel."
The results, which are available on the AFA’s website, are extremely negative. This is not surprising, given the AFA’s recent record of alarmist rhetoric concerning Islam and their "objective" portrayal of related issues.
Exactly how does the Mr. Sharp of the AFA interpret the data from their "poll"?
"I don't think that this is a 'Christianized' poll or a poll just for the Christian religion, but it's a poll that encompasses a broad range of Americans from all backgrounds and walks of life."
Personally, I don’t buy this line as the information concerning this poll was made available originally only via the ActionAlert emails. Additionally, the only ones who are going to come across this poll who aren’t plugged into the AFA or related organizations are people like me (who usually have nothing better to do).
I believe there’s an agenda here but getting any admission of anti-Islam bias on their part will be next-to-impossible. I personally believe when organizations (and individuals) pull this kind of stunt, their trying to convince people of the "righteousness" of their positions without outright stating their controversial and often bigoted opinions. What I'm really curious about (and something I'm going to ask them in an email) is to what use are the results of this "poll" going to be put?
I would ask Kossacks to visit the AFA website and vote their honest consciences in this poll (according to the AFA website, the poll will remain open until January 15th). Not to freep it, but because they’re also "Americans from all backgrounds and walks