November 2014 – President Obama has declared, “ISIL is not Islamic … No religion condones the killing of innocents.” But a majority of the American public disagrees with the president’s assessment of the violent tendencies of Islam, according to a September Pew Research Poll.
Fifty percent of polled Americans said Islam is more likely than other religions to condone violence among its followers. Eighty-four percent are very concerned or somewhat concerned about the rise of Islamic extremism around the world.
These figures represent rising percentages compared to former years. In particular, public satisfaction with U.S. government efforts to combat terrorism has dropped 16 points from last November, with 42% saying the government is not doing well in that area.
