The U.S., the Muslim World and the "Don't Know" Factor

President Obama, on a visit to Turkey today, declared that the U.S. "is not and will never be at war with Islam", calling for greater partnership with the Muslim world. Despite the strains between the U.S. and Muslim nations over the past few years, survey data shows that most Americans agree – but they also don't know very much about Islam.

Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) say only a small minority of Muslims support terrorism, according to Public Agenda's Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index. Yet 8 in 10 Americans worry about the "rise of Muslim extremism in the world" (38 percent worry "a lot"). Seven in ten worry about growing hatred of the United States in the Islamic world (one-third worry "a lot"). Six in ten think improved dialogue with the Muslim world can reduce hatred of the United States, but most Americans give the government poor grades on this front.

The knowledge deficit here is so great that survey stats should be viewed with great caution. In fact, knowledge levels haven't changed at all since 9/11. In August 2007, nearly 6 in 10 told the Pew Research Center that they know "not much" or "nothing at all" about the Muslim religion; that's essentially unchanged from another survey in November 2001. A quarter of the public consistently said they know "nothing at all" about Islam.

Specific questions find similar answers. For example, fully 32 percent told Newsweek in July 2007 that they don't know whether the Koran condones violence or not. Nineteen percent said they don't know whether Muslim culture glorifies suicide or not.

Public Agenda research has long found that religious and racial tolerance is a deeply held value among Americans, and it's fair to say that it's the public's "default setting." Given the high levels of "don't knows" on Muslims, however, it's hard to tell whether any survey results represent firm attitudes or easily shifted opinions. The public still may not have made up its mind about what it thinks about the Muslim world.