Muslims say respect is key to better relations

About half of Muslims surveyed worldwide believe that the West does
not respect them, according to a new Gallup report, and many say not
desecrating the Qur'an and portraying more "accurate" Muslim movie
characters could improve a strained relationship.

The findings are
part of a report, "Measuring the State of Muslim-West Relations,"
released December 1 at Gallup's Washington headquarters. The study drew
on interviews with more than 100,000 in more than 55 countries between
March 2008 and May 2010.

"We also found that this concept of
respect . . . now includes perceptions of fairness in policies, not just
culturally sensitive language," said Dalia Mogahed, executive director
of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies. Fifty-four percent of Muslims
said being treated fairly in policies that directly affect them would be
a very meaningful demonstration of respect.