61% of New Yorkers Oppose Mosque
Polling by the Siena Research Institute shows that while a majority of New Yorkers oppose the Cordoba House, that a majority are also willing to consider other arguments in favor the building:
Loudonville, NY. By a margin of 61 to 26 percent, New Yorkers oppose the proposal to build the Cordoba
House, a multi-story Muslim Cultural Center in lower Manhattan two blocks from the site of the World Trade
Center according to a new survey released today from the Siena College Research Institute (SRI). New
Yorkers have been following the new Arizona immigration law very closely and 52 percent support passing a
similar law here in the Empire State. Seventy percent of New York residents say that the presence of 10 to 20
million illegal immigrants poses a somewhat (30%) or very significant (40%) problem to the U.S., and large
majorities call for comprehensive immigration reform that would include enhanced border security (79%), the
creation of a process for admitting legal temporary workers (70%), and implementing a tough but fair path to
legalization for those already here (65%).“Large majorities of all New Yorkers, every party, region and age give a thumbs-down to the Cordoba House
Mosque being built near the Ground Zero site,” according to Dr. Don Levy, SRI’s Director. “But only just
over half of all New Yorkers, even city residents say they have been following the news about the proposed
mosque closely.”“Two of ten New Yorkers agree more with supporters that say the proposed Cultural Center would
demonstrate the presence of moderate Muslims and serve as a monument to religious tolerance than with
opponents that say the project is an offense to the memory of those killed in the attacks on 9/11 and that it
displays unacceptable insensitivity. Nearly four in ten agree more with the opponents and 38 percent think
both sides have a legitimate case. Over half of all New Yorkers and NYC residents either agree that the
project would promote tolerance or are, at least, willing to listen.”“But when it comes to a yes or no vote, more than a quarter of those that agree with the supporters, nearly half
of those that see both sides and virtually all of those that question the appropriateness of the Mosque currently
vote ‘No’ on the project,” according to Levy.
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