Defamation of Religions: World Opoinion Survey

World Public Opinion  reported the results of an international survey of opinion on defamation of religions taken between April 25 and July 9, '09. As I would expect, support for free expression is greatest in western democracies and support for censorship is greatest in Islamic nations.

    A five page pdf file revealing the survey's methodology has one surprise: the U.S.A. was surveyed on line.

In the United States, the poll was an online survey drawn from a nationally representative sample of the Knowledge Networks online panel. This panel is probabilistically-based, selected from the population of US telephone households and subsequently provided with an Internet connection if needed.

Results:

img: chart of results

    The   Methodology Report  reveals that Hong Kong & Taiwan results were excluded from the averages, but does not explain the exclusions.  There is a trend toward heavy coverage of urban areas, which could result in a more liberal result.

    Several nations stood out from the crowd with high levels of indecision/non-response.

Russia	26
Ukraine	30
Iraq	17
Indonesia	20

How would they have responded in an anonymous, non-confrontational setting?   What effect, if any, will this report of majority support for free expression have on the General Assembly vote on the Defamation of Religions resolution?

    If you are on the side of freedom of expression, these on line petitions need your support Sign them and urge everyone you can hope to influence to sign them.

• Free To Believe
• ACLJ
  

    To join a counter attack in the war of ideas, sign and promote the International Qur'an Petition.