A new poll finds a majority of Tennesseans are not opposed to a mosque in Murfreesboro and would not oppose one near their homes, but a majority does oppose a planned mosque in New York City near Ground Zero.

The telephone poll of 614 randomly selected Tennesseans aged 18 and over found that 42 percent neither support nor oppose the planned construction of an Islamic community center near Murfreesboro and 24 percent either “support” or “strongly support” the center’s construction.

Results were similar when people were presented with the prospect of a hypothetical mosque near their homes, with 66 percent saying they would either support or not oppose the proposition.

However, 63 percent of those polled said they were opposed to the proposed mosque near Ground Zero in New York City. Another 20 percent said they neither support nor oppose the mosque’s construction. Only 15 percent said they support its construction.

Two-thirds of those polled said they “agree” or “strongly agree” that Muslims should have the same religious rights as other Americans. The poll also found that 44 percent of Tennesseans do not believe American Muslims heighten the risk of terrorism, while 28 percent believe they do.

Associated Press, 14 October 2010

See also The Tennessean, 15 October 2010