Atheism Stack Exchange Archive

Why are atheists the second-strongest supporters of Park51?

• posted by: Andrew Grimm on 2011-03-05
• tagged: usa, islam
• score: 2

In a Gallup poll about Park51 (also known as Cordoba House and also called some derogatory things), opinions were broken down by religion, and atheists were the second-strongest supporters (this link is to a Fox News Op-Ed column, but I doubt they miscopied the numbers):

1. Muslims were the most supportive, with 14% wanting relocation, 43% in favor of it staying, and 30% wanting an interfaith institution instead.
2. Atheists were the second most supportive: 32% want relocation, 42% want it to stay, and 17% wanting interfaith
3. Jews were 43%, 25% and 28%
4. Protestants were 49%, 18% and 23%
5. Catholics were 63%, 15% and 15%

Is atheist support for a building that has some religious components in it somewhat paradoxical? What factors influence this? Do any of the following fit:

• Are atheists less likely to blame Islam (or religion in general) for 9/11?
• Are atheists are less likely to view Islam as an out-group, and therefore don’t suffer from Out-group homogeneity bias?
• Are atheists more likely to be left-wing, and therefore supporting freedom of expression even when others find something offensive?

Answer 3027

• posted by: James Cape on 2011-03-05
• score: 5

As one of the 42%, the primary reason I support allowing Park51 to build where they want is simple self-interest. Permitting discrimination or abuse on the basis of religious affiliation is an extremely dangerous thing, particularly in a country where a former head of state describes you as inherently treasonous, and at least one justice in the highest court says you shouldn't have a right to not believe in a god (Establishment Clause doesn't apply to polytheism or atheism).

That is to say, the inverse of your suggested answer #2.

Exasperated conservatives once said "imagine what Hilary Clinton would do with rendition and warrantless wiretapping," and I hold a similar view regarding this subject: imagine what a Young-Earth Creationist would do with the power to tell people what property they could own and how they could dispose of it on the basis of a religious conviction.

Answer 3024

• posted by: Roman Zenka on 2011-03-05
• score: 2

I support the building as a way of educating people. Not about religion, but about futility of being riled about unimportant things, just because they appear to be highly visible and important. As long as our attentions gets easily swayed by the obvious, we’ll keep making mistakes when it comes to the more covert, but also more damaging issues.

Also, USA is full of paradox. This is just a tip of the iceberg.

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