Poll Sees Clash of Interests, Not Civilizations
2007Barry Weisleder 2007-03The page as the paper published it (Wayback Machine) →
From the paper's own web edition, recovered from the Internet Archive: the text as the paper put it online, not machine-read. The printed issue of March 2007 is not held.
by Barry Weisleder / March 2007
Worldwide, a majority of people believe that tensions between Islam and the West are caused by “political power and interests”. Only 29 per cent point to religious and cultural differences as the cause of conflicts.
A poll of 28,000 people in 27 countries was conducted by BBC World Service. It’s findings, released in early February, showed that 56 per cent believe common ground can be found between Muslims and the West, and only 26 per cent think fundamental cultural differences are to blame for tensions.
Canadians scored much higher than average for cultural tolerance and for recognizing that conflicts stem from unequal power and clashing economic interests. While that certainly won’t stop big business governments and media from fanning the flames of religious and race hatred, it does tell us that we are in a good position to win - so long as we continue to educate and organize mass opposition to the “war on terrorism”, to the attack on civil liberties, and the rulers’ ghoulish resolve to spill young blood to gain oil, profits and power.