[by:www.21voa.com]
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[00:00.56]Americans are split on how their next president
[00:04.88]should talk about Islamic extremism,
[00:08.28]says a new public opinion study.
[00:12.12]The study found that 65 percent of Republican supporters
[00:17.88]say the next president should speak directly about Islamic extremism
[00:24.28]-- even if the statements are critical of Islam.
[00:29.96]But among Democrats, 70 percent said they want the next president
[00:36.24]to speak more carefully about the issue.
[00:39.84]The Pew Research Center conducted the poll last month.
[00:46.84]Almost half of those who took part in the study
[00:50.56]said they believe some Muslim-Americans
[00:54.52]disagree with U.S. culture, politics and policies.
[00:59.72]About 11 percent believe "most" or "almost all" Muslim-Americans are anti-American.
[01:11.00]A Pew study conducted in December found almost half
[01:16.68]said they believe Islam is more likely than other religions to encourage violence.
[01:24.88]A similar number said they are "very concerned"
[01:30.00]about an increase in Islamic extremism in the United States.
[01:35.92]And almost two-thirds said they believe the bigger problem
[01:41.56]is that religion is used by violent people as a reason for their violent actions.
[01:50.64]On Wednesday, President Barack Obama visited a mosque,
[01:55.28]or Muslim religious center, in Baltimore, Maryland.
[02:01.36]He said Muslim-Americans are seen negatively by many Americans
[02:07.40]because of the increase in terrorism linked to Islamist extremists.
[02:15.40]The president's visit "is a simple but powerful affirmation
[02:21.16]of the fact that American-Muslims are a part of the mosaic of American society,"
[02:29.40]said Omid Sofi, director of the Duke Islamic Studies Center in North Carolina, in an email to VOA.
[02:40.56]"Hopefully, it will serve as a reminder of the need to affirm the full rights of all of us,
[02:49.20]regardless of faith and ethnicity."
[02:53.20]I'm Christopher Jones-Cruise.