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American Morning
America's New War: Poll: Local Arabs Overwhelmingly Support Bush's Actions
Aired October 03, 2001 - 10:22 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Washington and CNN's John King for Arab-American reaction about the situation today.
John, hello, good morning.
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello and good morning again to you, Bill.
One of the president's recurring themes since the September 11th attacks is that the America people should not engage themselves, or tolerate in any way, a backlash against Arab-Americans or others in this country, just because of the fact that the suspects in these hijackings are believed to are Arab-Americans.
We wanted to explore that theme this morning with Ed Sarpolus. He is a pollster of the EPIC/MRA Firm based in Lansing, Michigan. Ed join us this morning from Detroit, Michigan.
Late last week for the "Detroit Free Press," Ed's firm did a poll of 527 Arab-Americans who live in the metropolitan Detroit area. Ed, thanks for joining us this today.
I wanted to start with one of your findings:
36 percent said the president was doing an excellent job handling the response to the terrorist strikes. 44 percent said a pretty good job. 8 percent rated the president's response as fair. Just 3 percent, poor.
More importantly, I guess, to this subject of your poll or Arab- Americans, 85 percent describe the president's conduct and public comments about Arab-Americans since the attacks as reassuring, only 7 percent said the president's conduct was not reassuring.
What do you make of that, sir, the reaction of the Arab-American communities to the president's handling of this, and any specific reactions that you found interesting?
ED SARPOLUS, INDEPENDENT POLLSTER: Oh, very interesting reactions. The first thing is not only do they support the president and the actions the United States is taking, but 61 percent of them said they support the added scrutiny that is going on. They don't like the profiling, they don't like the attack on the person, but they do believe that it's going to be necessary. That is despite nearly 41 percent of the people we talked to said they or themselves have experienced some kind of profiling or assault, either keying of their cars or verbal assaults in the place of work.
KING: Well, let's explore that. I want to show a graphic of the finding you just mentioned.
61 percent, and this is Arab-Americans, 61 percent said extra questions or inspections of people with Middle Eastern accents or features by law enforcement officials would justify: 28 percent said such -- quote -- "profiling" is not justified.
You found that surprising, but is that a reflection to you that Arab-Americans share the same fears, sense of insecurity that all Americans share at this moment?
SARPOLUS: Oh, yes. The anecdotal information, talking to them on the phone, said look, we are Americans too. We fear for our safety. We don't like to fly right now because we are concerned for ourselves. Some 70 percent said they believe this is a war on terrorism, not a war on Islam.
So they are much in tune with what all of us are, and that is the fact we want our safety, at the same time we want to rid ourselves of terrorism.
KING: You say they say it is a war on terrorism, not a war on Islam. That is a direct quotation of something the president has said over and over again.
So, you believe the president's message is reaching this critical audience here in the United States?
SARPOLUS: It is definitely reaching. Because, even those that we've talked to said they've been personally assaulted, those numbers were just as strong amongst those who said, look I was attacked, I was assaulted, my car was keyed; but I do support the president, I do support the additional scrutiny because myself and my family need to be safe.
KING: And Ed, you say 22 percent answered yes, when asked if they or someone in their household had experienced acts of anti Arab violence. You mentioned some things before, verbally assaulted.
What types of problems did these people report to you? Physical threats or more verbal harassment?
SARPOLUS: Well they were mostly verbal threats versus physical assaults, but there is a number of cases. One to 3 percent of them said that they had their cars keyed, some things thrown on their property. We had, not in this poll, but we did in one case of some shootings into people's homes in the neighborhoods.
But despite all of this, there is still strong support with the U.S. to go ahead with its actions in the Mideast.
KING: Any change in behavior, sir, Arab-Americans perhaps reluctant to go to mosque or to go to civic organizations, or places where they might be pointed to, or harassed?
SARPOLUS: Yes, especially amongst the younger ones, those who have families and children are working. Around 30 percent of them said they have changed their daily lives, not going out as frequently, avoiding where they may go to church or go to work. So, there's been a change in their habits.
That's why they are concerned that over time, this heals quickly. Because they want to get back to their every day lives. When we conducted this survey it was during the midst of things going on in this city and issues. And they said, yes, we're concerned.
KING: Ed Sarpolus of the EPIC/MRA Firm in Michigan. Thank you, sir, for your thoughts on the thoughts of Arab-American sentiments at this moment.
For now we go back to Bill Hemmer in New York.
HEMMER: OK, John, thanks. We will be checking back in with you in Washington throughout the morning here.
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