… The Abacus poll also showed that Canadians have strong opinions on the question of integrating immigrants. A majority of those born in Canada (71%) and those born outside of the country (65%) agree with the statement: “Too many recent immigrants don’t want to fit into Canadian society.” …

- Toronto Sun

Canada is one of my favorite countries, and I travel there constantly. It is truly one of the world’s great liberal democracies. I’m using “liberal” in the traditional sense, meaning open-minded and democratic. Well, Canada got a bit too “progressive,” and because of things like failed Islamist bomb plots and “honor” murders, Canadians have moved towards the center, for example, re-electing a prime minister (Stephen Harper) who is a staunch supporter of Israel.

According to the poll reported on by the Toronto Sun (noted above):

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In an article entitled, “Israel’s English-Language Media, AFP, Selectively Report on Israeli Poll,” CAMERA shows how the media emphasizes Jewish dislikes but minimizes or ignores Arab (Palestinian) dislikes:

… Perhaps most interesting to observers of the Arab-Israeli conflict, Jews were asked if it would bother them to have Arabs as neighbors, and Arabs were asked if it would bother them to have Jews as neighbors. Indeed, the English-language Web sites of Ha’aretz, Yediot Aharonot and the Jerusalem Post each mentioned this aspect of the poll in their coverage of the overall findings. So did Agence France Presse. But in a striking double standard, each of these news sources presented readers with only half of the picture, relaying that many Jews expressed discomfort about the idea of living next to an Arab but altogether ignoring the fact that even more Arabs expressed discomfort about the idea of living next to a Jew. …

Israeli Arab respondents expressed less tolerance for foreign neighbors; 70 percent of whom said they would rather not live beside a homosexual couple, while 67 percent said they would rather not live next to Haredi families. …

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by Daniel Pipes*

As Americans learn more about Islam, the aspect they find most objectionable is not its theology (such as whether Allah is God or not) nor its symbolism (such as an Islamic cultural center in lower Manhattan) but its law code, called the Sharia. Rightly, they say no to a code that privileges Muslims over non-Muslims, men over women, and contains many elements inimical to modern life.

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By Barry Rubin

–The UN annual Human Development Report for 2010 ranks Israel at number 15 of 169 countries in the world in terms of the health, education, freedom, and income of its citizens.

–Well worth reading, Steven J. Rosen, “The Arab Lobby: The European Component.” Despite the title, it also includes new information on the history of U.S.-Israel relations and on Arab lobbies in the United States.

–Danny Seaman, director of the Foreign Press Office, discusses the Western media and Israel in a long interview. But the article also includes what might be the best succinct statement I’ve ever seen on the development of Israeli worldview and perceptions:

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WASHINGTON (October 26, 2010) — Some commentators have argued that Hispanic turnout in the upcoming mid-term elections will be higher than usual, while others have argued that it will be lower. A new report from the Center for Immigration examines these claims and provides a means for evaluating them, based on data collected by the Census Bureau.

“The Hispanic Vote in the Upcoming 2010 Elections” is available online. Among the findings:

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By Andrew L. Jaffee

Never mind just the poll numbers (see here and here), you can feel it in the air. Americans are pissed — mostly at Obama and his Democratic congress. Even our “great” media outlets are admitting that Democrats are in trouble, but to varying degrees. Take the LA Times and NY Times. The former is desperately trying to put lipstick on the pig, while the latter is basically admitting the truth, though reluctantly:

The LA Times cries, “Conservatives struggle to unify for voter outreach:”

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By Andrew L. Jaffee

I tell ya,’ when I’m waiting for, boarding, or riding on a good ole jet liner, I get nervous when I see Vikings — you know, with their battle axes, swords, and especially those horned helmets. And, ya’ know, some of them have names like, “Skull-splitter.” I guess I’ll have to take flak from the local Scandinavian community, but hey, that’s how I feel. Note the widely acclaimed animated hit, “The Secret of Kells,” didn’t portray Vikings in a positive light as Vikings were the terrorists of their era.

OK, that was a bit metaphorical, but now-former National Public Radio (NPR) commentator Juan Williams similarly spoke from the heart:

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Barack Obama won 77% of the Jewish vote in 2008 (unbelievable, to me), but his disastrous domestic and foreign policies have caused a drop in one of his “core constituencies.” Survey says!:

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by Steven Shamrak

It might surprise some Jews, considering the disproportional anti-Israel coverage in the media and from international pressure the on Israeli government, that there are many non-Jews who strongly support the State of Israel. What is even more surprising is the fact that many of them enthusiastically approve the idea of the reunification of Jewish land, the creation of Eretz-Israel (Land of Israel), as it was designated by the League of Nations in July 1922, even more than most Jews.

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By Andrew L. Jaffee

President Obama and his policies are in trouble, no doubt. It is interesting to note how several mainstream media outlets basically admit his ship is sinking, yet try to throw a positive spin on their “news.” The BBC enumerates six high profile resignations from the Obama team, asks, “So is this a case of rats fleeing a sinking ship?,” but spins, “Most presidential watchers say no. ” TIME Magazine asks, “Obama Is in the Jaws of Political Death: Can He Survive?,” but spins, “The politically good news for Obama is that no matter what the outcome of the midterm elections, everything changes in January.” TIME does correctly point out, “Republicans will have a greater obligation, politically and morally, to help govern, rather than thwart and badger” — i.e., “put up or shut up” and “we’d all like to see the plan.” But let’s see what these two mammoths of mass media concede about Obama’s performance.

The Beeb:

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Obama and Congress are doing a great job getting themselves voted out of office. Must be all that “popular” legislation (Obama Likely to Scale Back Legislative Plans). Keep up the great work guys! The latest polls:

President Obama Job Approval
RCP Average
Approve 45.4
Disapprove 49.7
Spread -4.3

Congressional Job Approval
RCP Average
Approve 20.5
Disapprove 71.3
Spread -50.8

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By Stanley Renshon, CIS.org

The Los Angeles Times reported yesterday on the latest Quinnipiac University national survey on American opinions about various immigration matters. The title of the article, “Immigration issues hurting Obama, poll finds,” reflects the finding that, “By a 60%-to-28% margin, respondents disapproved of the way Obama is handling illegal immigration.” What isn’t clear is whether the president is losing support because he hasn’t been able to sign a “comprehensive immigration bill” allowing the legalization of approximately 11 million illegal immigrants or whether it’s because he’s proved much less than serious about border control, workplace enforcement, and deportation. Probably both.

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By Andrew L. Jaffee

Thousands turned out in New York City yesterday to commemorate the 911 attacks and oppose the planned construction of a mosque (”community center”) near the hallowed ground where the World Trade Center was savagely destroyed by Islamist terrorists. According to CNN, “Protest organizer Pamela Geller… said the NYPD and security at the rally told her about 5,000 demonstrators were there.” CNN added that, “the protest was peaceful. Human rights advocates, politicians and families of 9/11 victims addressed the crowd.” Atlas Shrugs contends that 40,000 people turned out to protest the planned Ground Zero mosque, and provided pictorial evidence to back its claims (see below). Conversly, pro-Ground Zero mosque “protesters” carried acrimonious placards stating, for example, “The attack on Islam is racism” and “Tea Party Bigots,” according to the Associated Press.

Story continues below…

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by Daniel Pipes*

As September 11 comes around each year, those of us who focus on radical Islam inevitably ask whether the lessons of 9/11 have sunk in — or whether they are fading as the event itself becomes a memory. Are we, in other words, progressing or regressing in what once was called the war on terror?

In contrast to a conventional war, in which objective markers such as control of territory or the output of steel indicate trends, in this new kind of war one must look to subjective factors like understanding the enemy or pride in one’s own civilization. How, on this slippery basis, does the United States stand on the ninth 9/11?

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by Daniel Pipes*

The furor over the Islamic center, variously called the Ground Zero Mosque, Cordoba House, and Park51, has large implications for the future of Islam in the United States and perhaps beyond.

The debate is as unexpected as it is extraordinary. One would have thought that the event to touch a nerve within the American body politic, making Islam a national issue, would be an act of terrorism. Or discovery that Islamists had penetrated U.S. security services. Or the dismaying results of survey research. Or an apologetic presidential speech.

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